72 pages • 2 hours read
The Leavers
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Essay Topics
Why are the sections narrated by Polly written in the first person while the Deming/Daniel sections are written in a third person limited perspective? What does Ko’s authorial choice suggest about the characters?
At various moments, Ko incorporates correspondence and documents, such as emails, messages, and reviews within the narrative. What is the effect of including them for the reader?
What is the role of memory in the narrative?
How does The Leavers portray immigrants in contrast to white characters?
Expectations, meeting them or not, play a huge role in the journeys of both Polly and Daniel. In what ways does meeting or betraying the expectations lead to the formation of new identities?
How is music like another language to Daniel?
What significance do the different cities Daniel/Deming lives in have with respect to his ever-shifting identity?
In the narrative, trauma is often thought of as a “break.” How does the narrative signal the trauma of Deming’s abandonment and Polly’s detainment?
“Crumbs” recur in the narrative throughout Deming’s childhood and his move to Ridgeborough. In what way do they connect with the themes of the novel?
How does motherhood affect both Polly and Kay? How do they view themselves and each other as mothers? What accounts for their differences?
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