A Column of Fire

How does the tension between loyalty and betrayal affect the familial and romantic relationships of the main characters? Analyze at least three specific examples to support your discussion.

The Protestant-Catholic conflict is a constant theme throughout the novel. How do the beliefs of the characters distort their decisions and skew their interactions with each other? Focus on at least one marital relationship and one familial relationship when developing your argument.

How does Follett incorporate actual historical events, such as the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the Gunpowder Plot, into the fictional lives of the characters? How does he stay true to history, and where does he take creative liberties?

Choose four characters—two male and two female—and analyze how they each navigate various societal expectations and the restrictions they face based on social standing.

How does Follett portray historical figures such as Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots? Research these historical figures and decide whether Follett’s fictionalized versions do justice to their real-life counterparts.

How do Ned, Pierre, and Rollo wield power and participate in political maneuvering, and what are the consequences of their actions?

While the novel honors many different perspectives, Ned is presented as the primary protagonist and narrates the short first-person sections. Why might Follett have chosen Ned as the central character, and how does this choice influence the overarching perception of who does or does not hold the moral high ground?

There are eight different point-of-view characters in A Column of Fire. How do the various perspectives of these characters build up or branch out from the novel’s main narrative?