In the Shadow of the Banyan Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, A Look at the Khmer Rouge and our BookBrowse Review of In the Shadow of the Banyan.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. According to the prophecy that Grandmother Queen tells Raami at the beginning of the novel, "There will remain only so many of us as rest in the shadow of a banyan tree." What does the prophecy mean to Raami when she first hears it? How does her belief in the prophecy change by the end of the novel? After reading, what does the title of this novel mean to you?
   


2. Tata tells Raami, "The problem with being seven - I remember myself at that age - is that you're aware of so much, and yet you understand so little. So you imagine the worst." Discuss Raami's impressions as a seven-year-old. How much is she aware of, and how much (or little) does she understand?
   


3. Review the scene in which Raami tells the Kamapibal her father's real name. How does this serve as a turning point in the novel - what changes forever after this revelation? How does it affect Raami, and her relationship with both Papa and Mama?
   

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Simon & Schuster. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.