54 pages • 1 hour read
Bobbie Ann MasonIn Country
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1985A 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
Mason tells most of the novel through the technique of flashback, framed by the present tense story of Sam, Emmett, and Mamaw journeying to the Vietnam War Memorial. In what ways does this authorial choice serve the narrative?
The design of the Vietnam War Memorial by architect Maya Lin caused a great deal of controversy among veterans’ groups and the general public. What were the main arguments for and against the design of the Vietnam War Memorial? How do they relate to the memorial’s representation in the text?
What is the significance of the title In Country? How does it relate to each of the character's development in the aftermath of the Vietnam War?
How does the rural Kentucky setting of Hopewell contribute to character and thematic development? How does the setting relate to post-Vietnam War America?
What are some of Emmett’s fixations or obsessive behaviors throughout the novel? Choose one and explore what it reveals about Emmett as a character using textual evidence.
What gender roles are explicitly or implicitly at play in In Country? How do these gender roles impact Sam and her search for identity?
What are some of the ethical complexities that trouble Sam about the war? Is she able to resolve the dissonance between patriotism and disillusionment by the end of the novel?
The 1980s in the United States was a time of economic hardship, high unemployment, and deep disillusionment. How much of this can be attributed to the aftermath of the Vietnam War? How is this reflected throughout the novel?
Consider the Vietnam veterans in the novel. What are some stereotypes of Vietnam veterans? How do the characters in In Country subvert these stereotypes?
Mason's style has been called “Kmart minimalism” or “shopping mall minimalism” by some critics. What does this term mean? How does Mason use this style in her book, and what does she accomplish by doing so?
