I'll Be Seeing You Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Rationing and Victory Gardens During World War II and our BookBrowse Review of I'll Be Seeing You.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Rita and Glory's friendship was born of intimacy, even though they don't know each other before they begin writing. The definition of intimacy is "shared fear." How does this explain the depth of their friendship? Have you ever had a close friend with whom you shared fear? If so, how is that friendship different from others you have?
   


2. Rita and Glory are very different people. They are from different parts of the country, they are not the same age and they come from different social classes. They also share similarities with each other: motherhood, community, a strong sense of women's rights. Did you identify with one or the other character because of their similarities, or because of their differences? Which one, and why?
   


3. Glory and Rita spend a lot of time in their letters talking about their victory gardens. The gardens become a metaphor in the novel. What are some of the things the gardens represent? Was anyone inspired to plant their very own victory garden?
   

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