To what extent is “the mob” or “the masses” a character in the novel? What role does it play?

Analyze how the motif of theater and theatrical performance appears in the text. How does this motif illuminate the novel’s exploration of persona and public performance more generally?

Compare and contrast the characters of Lucile Desmoulins and Gabrielle Danton. How are they different or similar? What do their arcs reveal about the gender dynamics in the text?

Analyze the role of “fate” in the narrative of A Place of Greater Safety. How does the novel explore the tensions between fate and agency during moments of historical crisis?

Compare Hilary Mantel’s approach to historical fiction in A Place of Greater Safety to her approach in Wolf Hall (2009). What literary and narrative techniques appear in both works? What effect do they have?

As the novel’s title suggests, “safety” is a recurring preoccupation in the text for the characters, such as the safety of the republic or the safety of oneself. How do different characters conceive of, and seek to maintain, “safety”? How does the novel explore different forms of safety and danger?

Mirabeau tells Robespierre, “there’s not much difference between politics and sex; it’s all about power” (252). Analyze the role of sexuality in the text. How are the sexual and romantic lives of the characters depicted? How do sex and power overlap—or contrast with one another—in the text?

Consider the role of idealism in the text. How are various characters defined by their idealism, or lack of it? In what ways are ideals challenged or upheld over the course of the narrative?