All Adults Here

Pick two characters and describe how they are characterized throughout the novel. What internal and external conflicts inform their character development? What larger message do these characters express? Do they parallel each other in any way? Support your answers.

All Adults Here is fundamentally about the power of family. What messages about family does Straub communicate? How does she develop these messages?

How does Straub explore gender roles in this novel? What gender roles influence the characters, and how do gender roles develop themes about self-acceptance and authenticity?

What role does Barbara Baker play in this novel? Why do you think Straub concludes the novel with a chapter that focuses on Barbara’s narrative?

The setting of this novel is Clapham, New York, a small town with passionate townspeople. How does this setting influence character and theme development? What tropes of small-town culture does Straub use to inform her narrative?

Robin’s experience as a trans girl at the point of coming out in public is a significant narrative in the novel. Analyze her journey to authenticity. What conflicts does she face? What themes does she embody? Use evidence from the text to support your answers.

Friendship is an important support structure in this novel. What characters are featured as secondary friend roles? How do they help propel plot, theme, and character development?

Consider the genre of domestic fiction. How does All Adults Here fit into this genre? How does it differ from historical domestic fiction?