The Hawthorne Legacy

When the novel opens, Avery is sometimes treated more like a pawn in others’ games than like a person with opinions, goals, and needs of her own. In what ways is The Hawthorne Legacy a story about a young woman taking control of her own life by refusing to be an object for others to manipulate? Cite specific instances in the novel as examples for support. These points may be helpful considerations as you formulate your response.

• What is the significance of the allusion to Cinderella?
• What does the glass ballerina symbolize?
• How does Barnes use language, characterization, and plot details to show Avery’s transition from being a “pawn” in the Hawthorne family’s games to being an active “player” in these games?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt asks students to analyze one aspect of Avery’s coming-of-age story: the journey from object to subject. Students might do this individually, in writing, or through whole-class or small-group discussion. Although the first two bulleted sub-questions are abstract and may require a brief review of allusions and symbols, they can be briefly answered; the final bulleted sub-question, however, requires a review of a substantial portion of the text.