A Taste of Blackberries

What are some differences between how the child characters and the adult characters process and deal with Jamie’s death? Use examples from the text to illustrate.

What is the significance of Mrs. Houser coming out of Jamie’s house when he’s first stung? How does this incident speak to the theme of how death affects an entire community?

In your opinion, why did the author opt to leave the narrator without a name? What kinds of possibilities does this open up for readers?

How does Jamie’s death change the narrator’s relationship with different people in the community? Cite examples from the text.

What are some of the questions about life and death that arise for the narrator in the wake of Jamie’s death? Why, in your opinion, does the book address these questions, even if they don’t have answers?

One of the symbols in A Taste of Blackberries is the ripples in the bathtub. Describe how the ripple effect of Jamie’s death plays out in the narrator’s life as an example of the effect of one person on a community.

What is the significance of Martha’s character and her reaction to Jamie’s death?

How does the narrator’s relationship with each of his parents evolve over the course of the novel? Cite examples from the text.