The Paper Dart
An ode to creativity and distraction

The Paper Dart Book Club: The Great Alone

I’ll be honest: I haven’t been involved in a book club in a long time. While I would love to start one of my own, I’m always daunted by the decisions of who to invite, which book to choose, how to run the discussion, and, now, how to make it work via zoom?

But as I was reading Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone from the comfort of my couch last week, I couldn’t help but think about how much fun it would be to have someone (or, better yet, a whole group of someones) to talk about this book with.

So, I’ve started The Paper Dart Book Club, which, to be honest, isn’t really a book club, but more of a tool you can use to make starting a club of your own a little less daunting. In this post, I’ve included a link to the truly wonderful book The Great Alone, a brief plot synopsis, several types of discussion questions (these include some SPOILERS so you may want to wait to read those until after you have read the book), as well as some food/drink suggestions and links to sites that could help your group embark on some book-related philanthropy.

I designed the discussion questions based on the “levels of inquiry” I used when leading a discussion in my classroom, and would suggest that you pick and choose a few to discuss, instead of trying to tackle all of them.

If you decide to use this post as part of your book club discussion, I would absolutely LOVE to hear about it. You can leave a comment/review here, or tag me on Instagram (@thepaperdart). Enjoy, and happy reading!

The Book (Affiliate Link)

Synopsis

The Great Alone follows protagonist Leni who travels to Alaska with her parents in the 1970s, in a desperate attempt to help her father (who recently returned from a traumatic stint in Vietnam) learn to cope with his lingering PTSD. The story is told over the span of several decades, and provides a fascinating depiction of the challenges of life on the Alaskan frontier, as well as the struggles faced by those living with a victim of mental illness. The characters in the small town Leni learns to call home are beautifully drawn, the plot is fast-paced and dramatic, and the romantic subplot will suck you right in. (And the ending may make you shed a tear or two.)

Guiding Questions

Thematic Questions

  1. Is it possible to love someone and desire to hurt them at the same time? 
  2. Is risking your life for love a noble act?
  3. Can moving or changing your physical surroundings alter your mental state and/or mental health? 
  4. Towards the beginning of the book, Leni claims that she’ll never be able to have real friends because she is incapable of sharing her truth with anyone. Do you think this is a true statement? Is it possible to have “real” friends, while still holding significant parts of yourself back?
  5. Several characters in the book claim that there are two types of people in Alaska, those who are “running away from something, and those who are running towards something.” Most of locals agree that the ones who are running away are the ones to be afraid of. Does this ring true to you?
  6. Do you think that the “progress” the Walkers and many of the other townspeople welcomed was a good thing? Why or why not?

Literary Analysis Questions

  1. Could (or should) Leni have done anything to intervene in the situation between her parents before the end of the novel?
  2. Was Cora a good mom?
  3. Should Leni have told Matthew (or someone else) the truth about her family?
  4. Did the townspeople behave irresponsibly when they failed to intervene regarding Ernt’s obvious abusiveness and mental instability?
  5. Did they have an obligation to intervene?
  6. Was it right of Leni to leave Matthew after the accident?
  7. Was it right of Leni to keep her son from Matthew for so many years?
  8. Do you think Leni and Matthew’s love was “real,” or merely a result of convenience and/or obligation?
  9. Why do you think Leni was able to connect with Matthew when she had never before been able to connect with her peers?
  10. Do you think Cora really ever thought that Ernt would change?

Literary Critique Questions

  1. Did you find the book’s resolution (including the trial process and Leni’s reconciliation with Matthew believable?
  2. Were the parallels between Matthew’s mother’s accident and Leni’s accident too obvious, or was this similarity essential to the plot / Matthew’s character arc?
  3. Did you find Cora’s response to Ernt’s abusiveness realistic?
  4. Were there any characters in the book who didn’t feel fully fleshed out to you, or who seemed unconvincing? (i.e. Ernt, Leni’s grandparents, Marge, etc.)
  5. Was the fractured timeline of the book effective?
  6. Were there any time periods Hannah chose to skip that you wish she had depicted further?

Text-To-Self Connection Questions

  1. Do you have a place that you feel connected to, or consider “home,” even though you don’t currently live there? Why is that place still “home” to you?
  2. Did you ever move as a child? How did that move affect you?
  3. Have you ever felt significantly impacted (on an emotional or physical level) by the weather or time of year?
  4. Could you ever imagine a situation in which you would be willing to leave your life behind and completely start over somewhere new?

Current Events Connections

  1. Do you think the situation Cora was in could happen today? Does our modern society have enough safeguards in place to protect battered women?

For Reference:

Drinks

Cocktail: The Alaskan

  • 2 1/4 oz gin (If you want to be really fancy about it, the “authentic” version calls for Old Tom Gin)
  • 3/4 oz yellow Chartreuse
  • 1 dash orange bitters
  • Lemon twist for garnish

To Prepare: Stir first three ingredients in a mixing glass with ice until chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon twist into drink before garnishing.

Beer: Alaskan Brewing Co.

Alaskan Brewing Company was started in Juneau in the 1980s and is a true, home-grown Alaskan business. They make a variety of types of beers, but seem to focus largely on IPAs. I have tried and enjoyed their Husky IPA, but I have also seen their sampler pack at Bev Mo, which would be perfect for the diverse tastes a book club is bound to include.

Wine: Gold Rush Plush

This one sounds right up my alley, and requires you to ice your wine, so no one can make fun of you if you like to do that anyway… The recipe is simple: fill a Collins glass half-way with Burgundy wine, then top with chilled Champagne. It’s sure to be chilly, but warming, and perhaps a little bit odd (much like many Alaskans…).

Non-Alocholic

Ice water. (ba dum, ching!)

Snacks

Salmon Canapes

  • 1 package cream cheese
  • I teaspoon chopped dill
  • Rye bread or rye crackers sliced into small squares
  • 12 oz smoked salmon
  • 1 red onion (sliced)

Combine the cream cheese and dill in a bowl. Spread on the rye bread or cracker. Top with red onion slice and smoked samon.

Cheesy Baked Crab Dip

This recipe is a little more involved, but a heathy-ish version can be found on The Toasted Pine Nut.

How To Help

If your book club happens to feel inspired by this book and would like to contribute to current efforts to support the victims of domestic abuse, I have included a list of local and national charities and non-profits dedicated to supporting and uplifting abuse victims and their families.

  • Pathways To Independence is a local, Long Beach, California non-profit which is very near and dear to my heart. Pathways provides abused or impoverished young women with housing, medical care, college tuition, therapy, and so much more. I have personally met several of the women who have benefitted from this program, and their stories are both heartbreaking and inspirational.
  • The National Network to End Domestic Violence both supports survivors and helps fund policy initiatives which protect and uplift the survivors of domestic violence. From transitional housing, to technical education, to healthcare, they do it all.
  • America’s Best Local Charities can help you find more local charities supporting abuse victims in your area.

Where to next?