the woman next door liz byrski · the woman next door liz byrski book club discussion points page 2...
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![Page 1: The Woman Next Door Liz Byrski · The Woman Next Door Liz Byrski BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION POINTS page 2 THEMES CHANGE On page 35 Joyce ‘feels as though she is on the threshold of something:](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070112/60537d79d7a2502d6746c78b/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
TheWomanNextDoor LizByrskiBOOKCLUBDISCUSSIONPOINTS
page1
www.lizbyrski.com
ThankyouforchoosingTheWomanNextDoorforyourbookclub.Idohopeyouenjoyreadingit.Herearesomediscussionpointsyoumayliketouse.
WRITINGSTYLEThebookistoldfrommultipleperspectives.Thefourwomentellthemajorityofthestory,butthemen,forexampleMacandLeo,alsohavesectionsoftheirown.Howdothesemultipleperspectivesaffectthereadingexperience?Whydoyouthinktheauthorincludedthemalevoices?CHARACTERSJoyceandHelenseemtobeunlikelybestfriends.Joyceisquiet,aimstopleaseandwillgiveintoavoidconflict.Helenisdirectandcanbeabrasive.Onpage173Joycethinks‘Perhaps…lifeislikethat,peoplechange.I’vechanged.Helenhaschanged.We’vesimplyoutgrownourfriendship.Whateverthecauses,somethingthatwasonceveryprecioushasjudderedtoahaltandrestartingitisoutofthequestion.’Whatdoyouthinkthecausesare?Whyweretheysuchgoodsfriendsinthefirstplace?BothJoyceandHelenarepre-dominantlystay-at-homewivesandmothers.WhydoesJoyceseemtobecomparativelysomuchhappierthanHelenandseeminglybetterequippedtodealwithgrowingolder?LeoandHelenarenotverylikeablecharacters.Doyoufeelanysympathyforthem?Isthereanyonecharacterfromwhomyouwouldhaveliketohaveheardmore?Why?
![Page 2: The Woman Next Door Liz Byrski · The Woman Next Door Liz Byrski BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION POINTS page 2 THEMES CHANGE On page 35 Joyce ‘feels as though she is on the threshold of something:](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070112/60537d79d7a2502d6746c78b/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
TheWomanNextDoor LizByrskiBOOKCLUBDISCUSSIONPOINTS
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www.lizbyrski.com
THEMESCHANGEOnpage35Joyce‘feelsasthoughsheisonthethresholdofsomething:anewwayoflife,anewwayofbeingherself,butshehasnoideahowtostepintothat.’Allofthewomenarestrugglingwithchange:Joyceislookingtodefineherselfoutsideofhermarriage;Pollyisopeningherselfuptoloveforthefirsttimeinyears;Heleniscomingtotermswithherownunhappinessandseparatingfromherpartner;andStella’smentalhealthisdeteriorating.Whatdoeachofthesewomenrelyontohelpthemthroughtheprocessofchange?Whodoesitbetterandwhy?Onpage42,Pollysays‘isn’titstrangethatwe’resoold?’Onthefollowingpageshesays‘Isn’titoddthatinsideyourselfyouknowyou’rethesamepersonbutsuddenlyyouseeyourselfinamirrororreflectedinashopwindowandthink–whoisthatoldpersonthatlooksabitlikeme?’Howdoeachofthecharacters,maleandfemale,dealwiththerealityofgrowingolder?RELATIONSHIPSANDINDEPENDENCEWhateffectdothechangesinthewomen’slives(discussedinthepreviousquestion)haveontheirindependence?Onpage190,Helensays‘it’sdifferentwhenit’sjustwomen…notasimportant,notquitetherealthing.’Towhatextentdoeachofthewomenhavelivesindependentofmeninthenovel?Stellaisafiercelyindependentwoman,stillworkingattheageof80,whichmakesherstrugglewithAlzheimer’sandherlossofindependenceallthemorepoignant.PollyisStella’sclosestfriend.WhencontemplatinghavingtocareforStella,shesaysonpage258‘IsupposeIhadn’trealisedthatIwas–am–suchaselfishperson.’DoyouagreethatPolly,andthewayshecaresforandmanagesStellathroughherillness,isselfish?Onpage293,DorothygivesPollysomeadviceaboutcopingwithStella’sAlzheimer’s.Shesays,‘Thisiswhosheisnow.YoustillseetheoldStellaandyougraspatthatbutyoucan’tmakehercomebackandyoushouldn’ttry.’
![Page 3: The Woman Next Door Liz Byrski · The Woman Next Door Liz Byrski BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION POINTS page 2 THEMES CHANGE On page 35 Joyce ‘feels as though she is on the threshold of something:](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070112/60537d79d7a2502d6746c78b/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
TheWomanNextDoor LizByrskiBOOKCLUBDISCUSSIONPOINTS
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www.lizbyrski.com
WhatdoyouthinkoftheadviceDorothygivesPolly?Leoreflectsonrelationshipsonpage233:‘TheprospectofdomesticblissinretirementhasalwaysappalledLeo,butnow,facedwiththeblackholethatseemsabouttoswallowhim,heisawarethatheisentirelyunpreparedforoldageandunwillingtochangeanyaspectofhislifetoaccommodateit.’ Leo and Polly are both in their sixties and single, yet Polly is not nearly as apprehensive about growing old alone as Leo. Why do you think that is? To the reader, Leo’s flaws are evident from early in the novel. Polly is an intelligent, independent woman: what makes us react negatively to him so quickly and why does it take Polly so long to see what we see? ‘She’llthinkwe’rebeingverygrown-up!Verymodern.’(p8)AlthoughStelladoesindeedcommentonJoyceandMac’srelationshipasbeing‘verymodern’,infactthestoryincludesvariousexamplesof‘modern’families/relationships,forexample,AlistairandSteve,orNickandGemma.Canyoupointtoanyotherexamplesofrelationshipsorfamiliesinthebookwhichmightbeconsidered‘modern’?Doyouthinkthebookisrealisticinitsportrayalofrelationshipsingeneral?Whatdoyouthinktheauthormeansby‘modern’?