Crow Lake

How is Daniel’s family constructed as a foil to Kate’s family, and what is the purpose of this contrast?

What does the narrative conclude about the relative importance of nature and nurture? How does this dichotomy interact with the sense that the Morrisons are pursuing a specific destiny, set down by their great-grandmother?

Kate reckons with her own conception of success and happiness, realizing that she has been holding Matt to an unfair standard. How is success measured in Crow Lake? What constitutes a tragedy for a character?

For much of the novel, Kate is a withdrawn seven-year-old. How does this narrative perspective affect how she tells the story? Why does Lawson select Kate to tell the story, rather than Luke or Matt?

What is the symbolic significance of Kate’s work on pond surface tension and pollutants? How does this field connect to her childhood?

When Kate realizes she’s in love with Daniel, she also realizes that her family is still an important part of her, and that if she wants to let Daniel really known her, she’ll have to let him know her family. How does this conception of love correspond to other relationships in the book? How does it relate to Matt’s relationship with Marie?

What is the relationship between family responsibilities and gender roles in Crow Lake? How would the narrative be changed if Bo and Kate were the eldest siblings and had to care for their brothers? 

Compare the lake and the ponds. These are both sites where the Morrison siblings spend a great deal of time, but they are highly distinct from each other. What are their respective narrative and symbolic functions?