Author: Barbara Kingsolver
Edition: Hardcover HarperCollins First Edition, 2012
I enjoy leading book groups. When I lead, I write up a discussion guide to use. Warning: spoilers within! Read after you have finished the book.
Other Resources
A description of Monarch Butterflies provides a rich, visual and well organized description of Monarchs geared to the lay person.
The following two videos have beautiful filming of the Monarch’s lifecycle as well as the butterflies in migration and photography of the butterflies on trees—something akin to what Dellarobia witnessed.
The following two videos have beautiful filming of the Monarch’s lifecycle as well as the butterflies in migration and photography of the butterflies on trees—something akin to what Dellarobia witnessed.
- PBS's nearly one hour video: The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies
- An under 3 minute migration summary: Monarch Butterfly Amazing Migration
Dellarobia Turnbow, Protagonist, 27 or so mother and farm wife living in Feathertown, Tennessee
Cub Turnbow, Dellarobia’s husband and farmer
Preston, Dellarobia’s 8 year old son with a scientific interest
Cordelia, Dellarobia’s toddler daughter
Hester Turnbow, Dellarobia’s mother-in-law sheep farmer who lives next door
Bear Turnbow, Dellarobia’s father-in-law sheep farmer, married to Hester
Pastor Bobbie Ogle, Minister of local church
Ovid Bryon, Professor at Devary University in New Mexico, Entomologist studying Monarch Butterflies
Pete, Mako, Bonnie, Students working with Ovid Bryon
Tina Ultner, News Nine reporter
Dovey, Dellarobia’s high school friend and partner in friendship and second hand shopping
Discussion Topics
Environment
Flight Behavior centers on the environment and how climate change has impacted the earth and continues to cause devastation and often unpredictable changes. Yet at the same time, the novel presents the clash between protecting the environment and carving out a livelihood for individuals. While this particular stand of trees is saved in the end, and not logged, not all financial pits are so seamlessly filled outside the novel. Individuals around the globe struggle with making ends meet while sacrificing the environment, while millions of others make choices to sacrifice the environment without a second thought or need to support themselves or their families.
In particular, Cub and Dellarobia refer to Hester’s tour group proceeds as her ‘butterfly money”. And the balloon loan payment weighs heavy over all of them. The logging is a sure-fire way out of their current financial predicament.
Where have you seen this struggle take place? How can basic human needs be balanced with the long-term needs of our environment? What incentives can be created for individuals and organizations to alter course and improve the environment rather than continue on a destructive path? What do you see as the most valuable levers in effecting positive change?
At first, Dellarobia sees the butterflies’ appearance as a bonus for her and Feathertown, page 147, “Is that so bad? They’re beautiful. We don’t get a lot of bonuses around her, let me tell you.” What brings her to understand the larger implications? Who is she successful in convincing of the larger negative implications?
It is exceedingly difficult for humans to see and grasp and feel connected to events that are outside the scope of our everyday lives. How often have you hear this same sentiment expressed with respect to environmental changes in your life?
Monarch Lifecycle
The microcosm of the monarch butterfly is explored in detail both through Dellarobia’s research as well as Ovid’s scientific explanations to Dellarobia and to Preston. What did you learn about this amazing creature? What was most surprising to you? Have you ever seen a monarch migration?
Biblical References
Throughout the novel Kingsolver sprinkles biblical references from Dellarobia returning down the mountain after her first encounter with the butterflies like Moses after the burning bush, with a direct reference to a burning bush on page 16. On page 22, Dellarobia is compared directly to Moses, “But like Moses she’d come home rattled and impatient with the pettiness of people’s everyday affairs.”
In addition, the church itself becomes a character in the novel taking on multiple roles from shining the spotlight on Dellarobia, to providing a framework for a host of minor characters as well as being Bobby Ogle’s place of power. Dovey’s provides a counter to the standard religious community with her frequent church sign texts and lack of religious affiliation.
What religious comparisons did you see in the book? What role did you see Dovey playing with respect to the strength of the church in the community?
Marriage
Dellarobia and Cub’s marriage is compared and contrasted with Hester and Bear’s throughout the story, but perhaps nowhere more directly than when Hester opens up to Dellarobia near the end of the novel. How have the choices each made affected their marriages and their lives? What makes Dellarobia happy in her marriage? What weighs down on her? What is the catalyst that leads her in a new direction?
During their trip to the Try It Again Warehouse Dovey and Dellarobia create marriage stories to go with the items they see such as on page 295 “All those husbands and wives dreaming of a slim, sexy version of the old ball and chain”. Where did you see references to the positives and negatives of marriage?
Dellarobia draws her own conclusions about Byron’s marriage before meeting his wife. Did you come to the same conclusions?
On page 398, “Ovid had turned into someone new, and understood he had become himself, in the presence of his wife.” How do other partners bring out the best and worst of one another in the novel?
How do people use the facts they see before them to fit the story they want to believe? Where does this occur in relationships? Where else have you seen this occur?
Parenting
Dellarobia’s parenting style is contrasted sharply with Hester’s. In the first pages the reader sees Dellarobia return to collect her children from Hester’s where they seem to have been entirely neglected, “All eyes flew up to her as she entered, keen for rescue, the grandmother nowhere in sight.” Page 30,”A more forgiving grandmother would have let Preston have it [the fleece] for a day of play, since it clearly made him happy.” How did you view Hester as a grandparent? What do you think influenced her parenting? How was Hester as a mother to Cub?
Dellarobia is very focused on her parenting, with Cordie’s and Preston’s needs nearly always forefront in her mind. Dellarobia’s view of Preston on the school bus is typical of many parents who have waited at a bus stop watching a child ascend or descend the bus steps—waving good-bye or welcoming a child home.
On page 310, Dellarobia sees Preston and the possibilities of his future. “She felt pierced by his loss. He would go far… already he had the means and will for the journey.”
What strengths do you see Dellarobia as a mother? All parents have their own coping strategies in meeting the constant demands of parenting—what are Dellarobia’s?
Both Dellarobia’s parents died long before the story begins. Dellarobia remembers them both poignantly, for instance, page 129 “She wished she still had the hand-turned wooden toys of her childhood, things her father made in his shop, a simplicity she’d only recognized as poverty in retrospect, after he died.” How does not having her parents living affect Dellarobia’s life choices? How does it affect the storyline?
Dellarobia has to have a very difficult discussion with Preston about his parents’ separating. What was your reaction to how and when she approached this topic? How did she make the concept relatable to a young child?
Education Gap
The education gap between the kids from Feathertown who are unlikely to continue on to college and the students who arrive with Byron is stark. What skills and knowledge does Dellarobia bring to the investigation? In what ways is she more educated than the students? When is she able to be the teacher? How does her new found knowledge bolster her self-esteem?
Dellarobia sees the whole town opposed to college, page 305, “the presence of the college [in Cleary] made them prickly, as if the whole town were given over to the mischief of the privileged.”
Does Dellarobia pin her hopes fairly on a degree? Do you think that a college degree is within her grasp? What obstacles will she face in reaching that goal? How do you see her life panning out?
Where have you encountered these gaps? How realistic is this portrayal of the disparity that exists in the United States and elsewhere today? Which are the causes and which are the effects among education, poverty, mobility and such? How can the negative cycles be broken?
Culture Clash
Kingsolver draws a stark contrast between the lives of Dellarobia’s family and the visiting students and professor. Page 110, “At ten minutes to six Dellarobia felt embarrassed by everything in her kitchen” as she gets ready to entertain Ovid. She notices Mako’s coat has a wrecked zipper and offers to repair it. Mako is stunned by the idea of repairing rather than throwing or giving away.
While Mako and the students seem superior in their knowledge of environmental change, who is having the biggest negative impact on the environment in the story?
Page 153, in reference to the students, “Worldly maybe, and heedless of their good fortune, to be sure. But in some ways they seemed young for their age….” Yet, “she was embarrassed to invite these people into her house that was the long and short of it.”
Page 162, referring to the students, “Their days here were like channel-surfing the Hillbilly Network;”
And in the Try It Again Warehouse, Dellarobia sees a girl with a “fat, sparkly diamond on her necklace and probably a daddy paying her tuition. She didn’t need to be here.”
On page 315, Dellarobia has a conversation with an environmentalist who refers to the citizens of Feathertown, and perhaps all communities unlike his own, as “You people”. Which is followed up on page 321 with a direct conversation between Dellarobia and Ovid on how people sort themselves out “Team camo, we get the right to bear arms and John Deere and the canning jars and tough love and taking care of our own. The other side wears I don’t know what, something expensive . They get recycling and population control and lattes and as many second chances as anybody wants.” And later “People shut out the other side. It cuts both ways” page 323.
Where did you see the strongest contrast? What do you think of Mr. Atkins sustainability pledge? (page 326)
Where have you experienced that type of culture clash? How did someone on the other side of the divide make you feel more comfortable or more apart? How can children be shown to be aware of people from a different economic strata or different culture? Do you agree with Dellarobia’s assessment? What rings true? Where do you take issue?
Outsiders
A variety of characters come from away to see the butterflies. Most stand out in stark contrast to the central characters. How are outsiders viewed and received in Feathertown? How does Kingsolver describe them in their dress and mannerisms to indicate the divide between insider and outsider? Dellarobia wrestles with the lack of welcome offered to Ovid Bryon by the townspeople. Page 257, “She thought of how Bobby Ogle moved people, persuading them with his demeanor, so loving and forthright. … Ovid had the same air about him… It made no sense that people would embrace the one and spurn the other.”
Where did you find Feathertown residents accepting outsiders and where were they viewed askance? Consider Dellarobia’s interaction with Dimmit near the butterflies. Which is followed by her conversation with Mr. Atkins. How do the conversations contrast with one another? How is Dellarobia’s interaction with Dimmit shaped by knowing him and where he came from?
Economic Gap
The economic gap between Dellarobia and the students is stark and clear. Kingsolver goes into great detail describing first Dellarobia and Cub’s acrid trip to the Feathertown dollar store for Christmas shopping and then Dellarobia and Dovey’s trip to The Try It Again Warehouse for a greater selection of second hand shopping. Each trip is explored in detail. Which details formed the strongest impression as you read? How did Dellarobia and Cub’s argument mirror their trip through the dollar store?
These purchases stand in stark contrast to the scientific equipment Ovid brings to set up to monitor butterflies. How did that juxtaposition sit with you?
Hester’s Past Life
Why is Hester’s past life important to the storyline and Dellarobia’s life in particular? How is Hester a catalyst in Dellarobia’s life? How does her being Pastor Ogle’s mother and his not knowing influence the story? Why do you think Kingsolver added this piece to the puzzle?
How often have you not been aware of someone’s life history and when finding it out discovered it isn’t as neat and clean as all appears on the outside? How has another’s revelation changed the course of your life? How have you changed the course of others’ lives?
Parallels between butterfly migration and Dellarobia’s Life
In many ways Dellarobia’s life parallels the butterflies’. She is awakened by their appearance and from that moment on her life takes a new turn. In some ways it’s as if she’s emerging from her own cocoon and seeing her life from a completely new angle. Even as she leaves her home in the first chapter, walking up through the sheep pastures, “From here it all looked fixed and strange, even her house, probably due to the angle.” Page 3.
She finds her way back home as do the butterflies in their miracle migration. Although Dellarobia knows where her home is, or does she? How does she break free and is reborn?
Where does Dellarobia’s migration take her both literally and figuratively?
Story Ending
Were you pleased with how Kingsolver ended the novel? What felt true and right to you? What took a different turn than you anticipated? How would you have concluded the story?
Other Quotes
Page 165, “Everyone wanted to be inside the fold rather than out; maybe life was that simple.”
Page 353 “You never knew which split second might be the zigzag bolt dividing all that went before from everything that comes next.”
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