The Secret Scripture

Early in the novel, Dr. Grene expresses his suspicion that Roseanne was not committed because of insanity but for social reasons. In conservative early-20th century Ireland, how might mental hospitals have been used, in concert with churches, to assert institutional control over women?

What are the similarities between Cissy’s silent retreat from her family and Bet’s withdrawal from her marital bed? 

What does the Ansonia clock symbolize? Why was Cissy compelled to buy it and then to destroy it?

What is the role of diaries in the novel? Why do Roseanne and Dr. Grene prefer to express themselves in writing rather than speech?

At the end of his life, Jack writes to Roseanne, saying that each of the McNulty brothers was a bit in love with her. Describe Roseanne’s relationship with each brother. How was she enriched or changed by each relationship?

How is Dr. Grene’s vision of John Kane as an angel related to John Lavelle’s request that John Kane watch out for Roseanne after John Lavelle’s death?

Why does Roseanne refuse to believe that her father, Joe, was in the RIC? In what other instances in the novel does Roseanne use denial or repression when confronted with facts from her life and family history?

Why was Roseanne’s job at Café Cairo a relief?