Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book. 1. The letters from Rosalinda and the Juliet Club create meaningful connections across time in the novel. Write a letter that one character might send to another five years after the novel’s conclusion. 2. Each character undergoes transformation through their experiences in New Hampshire. Design a butterfly species that would symbolize one character’s journey, describing its appearance and behavior. 3. Music often captures emotional experiences in ways words cannot. Create a playlist of 5-7 songs that would form a soundtrack for Where Butterflies Wander, explaining how each song connects to specific moments or characters. Need more inspiration for your next meeting? <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/resources/#book-club-resources" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Browse all of our Book Club Resources</a>

Creative Engagement

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of child death, mental illness, death, and graphic violence. Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book. 1. Suzanne Redfearn employs multiple character perspectives throughout Where Butterflies Wander. How did these shifting viewpoints affect your understanding of each character’s grief? How does this narrative approach compare to her technique in <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/in-an-instant/summary/?searchId=1a3bf2ec-142b-419b-ae49-ad59bb892f90&amp;searchPosition=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">In An Instant</a>, which similarly explores family tragedy? 2. The novel begins with Rosalinda’s letter to Davina, revealing her history before introducing the present-day conflict. How did this prologue shape your expectations for the story, and what emotions did it evoke? 3. Where Butterflies Wander portrays various responses to loss and trauma through its characters. Which character’s approach to grief resonated with you most, and why?

General Impressions

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism. 1. Butterflies function symbolically throughout the novel, from representing Bee’s spirit to illustrating the “butterfly effect” of small actions. How does this multifaceted symbol enhance the book’s themes? 2. The New Hampshire wilderness is both setting and symbol in the story. How does Redfearn’s portrayal of nature enhance the emotional journeys of the characters? 3. Fire appears repeatedly in Davina’s life, described as “the great destructor of my life” (168). How does this recurring motif represent both destruction and transformation? 4. The novel explores how memory shapes present actions through Marie’s recollections and Davina’s connection to her cabin. How does this treatment of memory compare to other novels in which the past haunts characters across generations, such as Emily Brontë’s <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/wuthering-heights/summary/?searchId=80ae4318-7eaf-462a-a355-73bfba05c3f9&amp;searchPosition=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wuthering Heights</a>? 5. Redfearn structures the novel with alternating first-person perspectives in brief chapters. How does this narrative choice affect your understanding of the central conflict and build tension? 6. “The Problem of Superficiality” emerges as a theme as Marie attempts to solve emotional problems through material solutions. How does her realization that “nothing not of flesh and bone ever satisfies the soul but briefly and superficially” mark her character development (244)?

Literary Analysis

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences. 1. Penelope believes she sees her sister Bee in the form of butterflies, creating a personal mythology to cope with her loss. Have you ever created rituals or symbolic practices to help process grief or significant life changes? 2. Davina finds healing through her connection to nature and the river, teaching Hannah to swim upstream to relieve her migraines. What natural settings or physical activities have been healing for you during difficult times? 3. Marie attempts to outrun her grief by focusing on selling the property, only to realize that “baggage” travels with her. When have you tried to escape emotional pain through action or change? What insights did you gain? 4. Hannah writes letters for the Juliet Club, answering queries about love despite having no personal experience until she meets Rock. How have books or cultural portrayals shaped your expectations of significant life experiences? 5. Leo carries deep guilt for not being present when Bee drowned. How have experiences of responsibility—whether fulfilled or unfulfilled—influenced your relationships?

Personal Reflection and Connection

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes. 1. Davina’s experience as a nurse in Afghanistan connects her story to America’s longest war, while her PTSD represents the ongoing impact of that conflict. How does the novel portray the effects of war on individuals, and what does it suggest about society’s responsibility toward veterans? 2. The community protests Davina’s eviction and eventually provides her with a new home. What does this collective response reveal about small-town dynamics and community values? 3. The novel explores how people react differently to Davina’s facial scars, with Davina noting she “can tell a lot about a person by how they react” (64). How does the book address societal attitudes toward visible difference?

Societal and Cultural Context

Relationships

Family

Values & Ideas

Fate

Emotions & Behavior

Grief

Suzanne Redfearn

Adult

Novel

Fiction

Guide

Study Guide

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Overview

Get ready to explore Where Butterflies Wander and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

Where Butterflies Wander

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