54 pages 1 hour read

Jodi Picoult

The Storyteller

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2013

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Essay Topics

1.

There are several layers of meaning in the book’s title. What is the significance of the phrase The Storyteller in relation to the novel’s major characters, structure, and plot points? Who is the eponymous storyteller, or are there several?

2.

Josef’s request to Sage to forgive him throws her previously quiet life into chaos. According to Picoult's portrayal of good and evil, was it morally acceptable for Josef to put his life and death into Sage’s hands?

3.

After being washed and dressed by the farmers’ wife who briefly takes her in, Minka says that “sometimes all it takes to become human again is someone who can see you that way, no matter how you present on the surface” (359). Discuss this quote in its original context, then relate it to the stories of Sage and Josef. How does the meaning change in each situation?