Thousand Pieces of Gold

Compare and contrast Polly’s relationship with her mother and father. Which relationship best demonstrates The Burden and Pain of Family Betrayal? Support your argument with textual evidence.

Research the real Polly Bemis. Are there elements of Bemis’s story that McCunn left out that you feel should have been included? Why do you feel they should be included in the novel, and how would you go about incorporating them?

Does Polly achieve the American Dream? Why or why not? Support your argument with textual evidence.

Consider the nickname Nathoy gives Polly. What does this name imply, and how does it serve the story? Support your argument with textual evidence.

Choose one of the settings of the novel. How does it influence—either positively or negatively—Polly’s journey? Support your argument with textual evidence.

Look at the photos found throughout the novel and read about them in the photo credits. Choose a photo and analyze its importance to the story. Support your discussion with textual evidence.

What is Jim’s purpose in the novel? How does he influence and change both Polly and Charlie?

Research the discrimination Asian people faced in the 19th century in the United States. How does McCunn incorporate information about those discriminatory practices into Polly’s narrative?