Keeper of Enchanted Rooms

Discuss the use of magic in the novel as a practical aspect of the setting—an accepted part of the fictional world. What does the function of magic add to the novel? You may wish to further explore magic as a metaphor—if so, what do the different kinds of magic represent?

Examine Keeper of Enchanted Rooms as part of the tradition of the haunted house or ghost story, a popular genre in American literature. What conventions or elements does the book have in common with this genre? How has Holmberg changed or twisted certain conventions to her own uses?

Discuss Silas’s role in the novel as villain and antagonist but also as a possible foil to Merritt and, additionally, mentor and aid to Myra. If you were to argue that he is a formulaic or stock character—the stereotype of the villain—what evidence provides the basis for your claim?