Have you ever had a friend like Nora, one nuttier than a fruitcake but whom you couldn’t help but love nonetheless? Discuss how this person impacted (and/or continues to impact) your life, whether good or bad.
Could you see yourself being attracted to a man like Carl? A woman like Faye? Why? Or why not?
Faye wasn’t an easy person to like. What did you find most annoying about her? At what point, if any, did you start to like and/or understand her?
Why is it that some women, like Nora, can offer good advice but don’t seem to have the same good judgment or presence of mind when it comes to the choices they make in their own lives?
At what point do you think Carl’s feelings for Faye changed? What do you think Carl found most attractive about Faye?
What do you think attracted Faye to Carl? At what point did her feelings for him deepen?
How did Benjamin influence Carl and Faye’s relationship? What type of influence did the twins have on Carl and Faye’s relationship? How might the story have been different had Faye and Carl’s kids not gotten along?
Were you surprised, amused, or annoyed by the discovery of Faye and Scoobie’s secret love child?
Do you think Scoobie was lying or telling the truth about his desire to reunite with their son?
What do you think was behind Scoobie’s desire to reunite with Faye?
Why do you think so many women, like Faye, are willing to grant men like Scoobie second chances? Why do you think Faye so desperately wanted to believe Scoobie had changed?
Do you think Scoobie was lying or telling the truth about his relationship with Tina? Do you believe it was over between them or do you suspect they were still involved?
Do you think a relationship between Scoobie and Faye might have worked had she not been overweight?
Do you think Faye had a real problem with her weight, size, or body image? Which scenes illustrate your opinion?
Why do you think Betty was rooting for Faye?
Do you think Scoobie was at all sincere about his newfound sense of spirituality?
What did you think or feel about the book’s depiction of the church?
How did the depiction of the “family” differ from some of the other books you’ve read?
Which scenes made you laugh out loud? Which scenes touched you? Which scenes struck you as unbelievable?
Which two secondary characters did you like the best and why? Nora, Uncle Westbrook, Squirrel (aka Nigel), Betty, the twins (Renee and Renita), Ms. Vic (aka Victoria), Tina Dumas, Benjamin, or Clarice?
Which character(s) would you have enjoyed seeing more of?
In the end, did you think Scoobie was mean, trifling, mentally ill, a fool, or some odd combination of the aforementioned?
What kind of challenges do you think Carl and Faye will face as a couple in the future? Where do you envision them in five years?
Can you see Betty, at some point, changing her mind about taking Carl back? If so, how might that affect Carl’s relationship with Faye?
How long do you think Squirrel and Nora’s relationship will last? Five years or longer? Five months or less? Five weeks, at best?
After The Dance Page 31
