49 pages • 1 hour read
Shea ErnshawA History Of Wild Places
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2021A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Which of the three protagonists undergoes the most significant transformation as a character? Use textual evidence to support your claim.
How does Ernshaw develop themes related to memory throughout the text? What is the most significant symbol of memory for each narrator? Use textual evidence to support your claim.
Compare and contrast the distinct features of the three main characters’ narrations. What qualities differentiate their internal monologues most strongly?
What is the predominant tone of the novel? Identify and analyze literary devices that Ernshaw uses to establish the tone throughout the story.
What does rain symbolize in the novel, and how does it relate to the novel’s themes?
Compare and contrast how Ernshaw characterizes domestic interior spaces versus natural landscapes. How do these differences or similarities connect to the novel’s themes?
The Eloise and the Foxtail excerpts relate to various aspects of the story. Using textual evidence, explain how the fairy tale relates to tone, character development, or theme (choose one).
How do descriptions of pregnancy and birth relate to the themes of the novel?
Ernshaw explores the concepts of complicity, power, and individual versus collective blame through the characters in Pastoral. Compare how the actions and emotions within the community parallel those experienced in the characters’ lives outside the commune.
