A Breath of Snow and Ashes

Compare and contrast the personalities and attributes of Jamie and Roger. What are each man’s strengths and weaknesses?

As a doctor as well as a main character, Claudia has many interactions with both men and women. How does the perspective of a modern woman influence the ways in which gender issues are portrayed in the novel?

1.  How is colonial America a character in the novel? Examine the influence the setting has on the plot and the characters.

1.  Analyze the ways in which Malva and Lizzie come of age. What effect does abuse have on the differences in their maturities and on their interactions with men and the greater community at large? 

Brianna and Roger courted and fell in love in modern times. How do these roots affect their interactions with the 18th-century inhabitants of Fraser’s Ridge?

Gaelic is spoken throughout the novel in key moments. Analyze its use and significance.

How does Roger’s relationship to religion change as the novel progresses?

 Medicine itself is an unexplored symbol in the novel. Analyze its role in the book and how it influences the social setting.