Research the 1969 Loren Eiseley essay “The Star Thrower.” How does it help understand the novel’s definition of a teacher, a mother, and a storyteller/historian?

The secondary characters of LaJuna and Juneau Jane parallel each other beyond the similarity in their names. How does each character contribute to the emotional growth of the primary character, Benny, in one case, and Hannie in the other. How do these two feisty characters themselves grow as a result of their experience?

Research the Lost Friends database. Read the ads selected for inclusion in this novel. What does the archive of these ads reveal about the human cost of slavery?