Discussion Questions Part Two

[Debbie]

Part Two
6. In Women of the Dawn, a nonfiction book about the lives of four Wabanaki Indians excerpted in the epigraph, Bunny McBride writes: “In portaging from one river to another, Wabanakis had to carry their canoes and all other possessions. Everyone knew the value of traveling light and understood that it required leaving some things behind. Nothing encumbered movement more than fear, which was often the most difficult burden to surrender.” How does the concept of portaging reverberate throughout this novel? What fears hamper Vivian’s progress? Molly’s?

7. Vivian’s name changes several times over the course of the novel: from Niamh Power to Dorothy Nielsen to Vivian Daly. How are these changes significant for her? How does each name represent a different phase of her life?

8. What significance, if any, does Molly Ayer’s name have?

9. How did Vivian’s first-person account of her youth and the present-day story from Molly’s third-person-limited perspective work together? Did you prefer one story to the other? Did the juxtaposition reveal things that might not have emerged in a traditional narrative?

10. In what ways, large and small, does Molly have an impact on Vivian’s life? How does Vivian have an impact on Molly’s?

[Edie]

I'm not really answering the questions, sorry. This "portage" assignment was wonderful! If I were still teaching seniors, I would borrow this idea for a final essay/college essay.

The juxtaposition of the two perspectives worked beautifully for me--a great mirror of social evolution, interesting blending of POV and setting. Molly, an orphan of a more modern era, certainly has a greater sense of entitlement than Vivian had. Together their personalities worked toward balance--Molly heightens Vivian's sense of entitlement (she has a right to know what happened to her daughter; she has a right to be happy) and Vivian tempers Molly's sense of entitlement and rebellion, ultimately making Molly happier, too.

And Vivian's POV in third person is genius. Third person allows the story to be more detailed (she is too old to tell the story in such straightforward detail) without being too emotional. The emotion of her story could become too dark, quickly.

[Ang from OZ]

So I found the different point of views a little difficult at times. I enjoyed reading from Vivian's view better than Molly's.

Molly's pov just felt a bit disjointed for me. I guess that was just the third person thing.

Don't worry Edie I'm having a hard time answering the questions as well. In some ways it feels like being back in Senior English class!!

In this unusual friendship I think Molly and Vivian both help each other immensely. With Vivian telling her story I think that is her way of saying, "Kid you think you've got it bad, this is what I went through" And Molly bringing Vivian into the new world of computers and the internet and in turn helping her connect with that which was lost to her. When Vivian met her family, well that just put shivers down my spine. I kept thinking, goodness I hope she doesn't die before she can meet her family!!!

Not sure about the question "What significance does Molly Ayer's name have??? I'm lost on that one!

[Karen]

I picked up on the significence of Molly Ayers name. Her full name is Molly Molassres Aeyers. Molly M was one of the few people of her tribe who survived the influx of germs and disease that white man introduced when they first arrived in America. Molly became a leader and spokesman for her tribe.
Molly's dad named his daughter after her and gave her the charm necklace to remind her of the powers and strengths she, like the first Molly could draw from.
In the same way, Viviane gram gave her the cladough necklace to remind her of her heritage and the symbols of faith and strength she could always pull from and turn to.
In many ways I think these talismans were both their life lines to the core of their past and family and what gave them the drive to be a survivor. When they met and Vivien saw the necklace around Molly's neck. it was incongruous with the rest of her outer shell and she knew instantly that she had met a girl walking the path she had walked all those years ago. Molly in turn cracked open a rock hard shell of self preservation that had been sealed sense the 1940's.

[April]

Love the quote from Women of the Dawn. It was one of my favorites from the book. The concept of portaging kept coming up for Molly and Vivian. Every time they were sent to a new home, they carried all the possessions they owned from one house to the other. When Vivian fled the Grote's house, she was only able to take her coat and what she was wearing. Everything else was left behind. The only thing that Vivian wasn't able to leave behind her was her fear of losing those she loved the most.

I saw how the stories intertwined together. Molly would pull out an article of clothing and later we would learn of its meaning in Vivian's first-person account. I preferred Vivian's story to Molly's because I felt that I got to know Vivian better.

Molly impacted Vivian by listening to her stories, by understanding more than anyone who she was, where she came from. Vivian seems to be one of the first people to truly give Molly a chance. When Molly confesses she cleaned out Vivian's attic because she stole a book from the library, Vivian brushes it off saying they should give her a medal. She made Molly feel like she finally belonged somewhere.