Treeborne Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Drive-In Theaters and our BookBrowse Review of Treeborne.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. When the novel begins Janie Treeborne is already old. She has finally decided it is time to tell many of her stories. How does Janie's age influence the stories she tells and the ways in which she tells them?
2. Treeborne is written in a distinct style that relies on a strong vernacular. How do elements of Johnson's writing style evoke the way memory works in life and for characters in the novel? How does the novel's voice impact the way you read and understand its characters?
3. There is not a central plotline in Treeborne. Instead, Johnson moves around in time and across many different narrative threads. How do characters such as Hugh, Maybelle, and Janie Treeborne change over the course of the book? Can the same be said of characters such as Big Connie Ward, who serves as one of the novel's antagonists?

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