ELIANNE by Judy Nunn Format: Trade Paperback ISBN: 9781742758381 Imprint: William Heinemann Australia Released 1 November 2013

Reading Group Questions

Early in Elianne we see the struggles of the sugar cane industry to enter the modern, mechanised age. What other seismic shifts within society can you identify? Which characters are best equipped to handle that shift; which are worst? The Elianne estate is a massive self-contained, self-reliant community. How does this sense of community change over the course of the novel, and what does this change suggest about the nature of family, relationships and society as a whole? Who was your favourite character and why? The Durham family has a perception of itself that is at odds with its reality. Discuss the themes of self-delusion and ignorance in the novel and the ways in which the truth of the past rises to the surface. What is the role of letter-writing and diarising in this search for truth and authenticity? Elianne is a conversation between the generations. What are the pressure points where this conversation breaks down? In what ways do generations connect in a meaningful way? How does Stan handle Kates evolution into a modern woman? Similarly, compare the lives of Elianne and her great-granddaughter Kate. How far had women come in the seventy-year gap between them? Discuss the themes of race and racism within the novel? How are these themes furthered through the plight of the Kanakas, Neils experiences in Vietnam, Alans marriage to Paola and Ellies relationship with Pavi and Mela? In what ways does the novel show Australias evolution into a more contemporary and tolerant society? How might Stans downfall have been avoided? Was the destruction of the house and his legacy inevitable? What elements of the Durham legacy will endure? In what ways do readers think that Kate's discovery of the past may have affected her activism and her devotion to the many human rights causes she embraces, like Aboriginal rights and feminism?

Reading Group Questions for Elianne by Judy Nunn Available in bookshops and ebook retailers 1 November 2013 Elianne: Print ISBN: 9781742758381 | ebook ISBN: 9781742758404 Imprint: William Heinemann Australia | Publisher: Random House Australia

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