Running Out Of Time

What do you predict Jessie’s future will be like? What obstacles might she have to overcome at school, home, etc.? Do you think she will learn to trust her parents again? Why or why not?

What do you think would have happened if Ma had not sent Jessie for help? What if another character such as Ma or Hannah had gone instead? How is Jessie’s role in Clifton important?

Would you volunteer to live in a historical preserve town like Clifton? Why or why not? What might you be giving up and/or gaining by choosing that lifestyle?

Several characters, including Jessie, want some kind of “proof” to believe what they are being told. One reporter remarks that Jessie’s collapse on the capitol steps is evidence of her story. What is the value of proof? How does it differ from faith? Which is more persuasive?

Compare the people Jessie encounters on her journey: Nicole, the environmentalist, Tol and Ray, etc. What function do they serve in the narrative besides moving the plot forward? What could they represent?

Jessie recalls Pa saying, “’Doesn’t matter if you’re a blacksmith forever or not. Your ma thinks there’s a value in being educated just for the sake of being educated’” (73). Do you agree? Why or why not? How does 1800s schooling differ from modern education? How do these differences affect its value?

How does surveillance in the novel compare to modern surveillance? Consider the Clifton cameras and mirrors and how we are tracked today. How is each beneficial and/or invasive?

Analyze a group of characters and the motivations for their behavior and beliefs. For example, what do you think motivates Mr. Seward or Mr. Smythe? Are their actions justified? Why or why not?