A Fall of Marigolds

Clara wonders most about the last two lines of Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn”: “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all/Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.” What do you think these lines mean, and why is this meaning significant to the narrative? 

What is the central message of the text overall? What might the author want readers to know or understand after reading A Fall of Marigolds?

Clara decides that Andrew does not need to know the truth about Lily. On the other hand, both Dolly and Ethan believe Clara must know the truth about Edward. Who is correct, and what might you have done if you were facing this kind of dilemma?

Clara believes in love at first sight, but Dolly insists that it is impossible to love someone that one does not know. With which of the characters do you agree?

A central theme of the novel is the opposition between destiny and random chance. Discuss the role of fate in the novel, including your own opinions about destiny and chance.

Why does Clara need time before she can enter into a relationship with Ethan? What might this indicate about her views on love?

Taryn states, after attending the memorial, that she “didn’t love the idea that Kent shared a final resting place with so many, because that meant [she] had to share it, too” (326). Contrast Taryn’s sentiments with Clara’s reaction to the sidewalk in front of the Asch Building and her visit to Edward’s grave.

Do you agree with the author’s choice of Ethan as Clara’s love interest, or do you feel it should have been Andrew instead?