Appetite for Innocence

Examine the symbolic function of architecture and domestic space in Appetite for Innocence. Compare and contrast the upstairs and basement floors of Derek Hunt’s house with the Stevenson residence to support your answer.

How does the theme of The Long-Term Harm of Paternal Absence provide the psychological foundation for Sarah’s entire character arc? Compare and contrast Sarah’s behavior in the “Then” and “Now” timelines for evidence.

Discuss how the motif of names and naming extends beyond Sarah’s rejection of her birth name, Petra, and Derek Hunt’s use of an alias to mask his identity. What are other instances where Berry deploys names to denote relationships and drive The Challenges to Self-Restoration in the Wake of Trauma?

While Sarah’s actions exemplify The Ambiguous Morality of Survival, analyze Ella’s own morally complex choices. Is her guilt over the death of Paige justified? Why or why not?

Explore how the characters’ bodies become sites of trauma, control, and reclamation.

Lucinda Berry uses a dual first-person perspective. Analyze the rhetorical effect of this choice, focusing on how the inclusion of Sarah’s point of view complicates her characterization.

How does Jocelyn Stevenson’s character arc, informed by her own history as a survivor of sexual violence, function as a critique of naïve intervention?

Trace the evolution of the routines and rituals motif throughout the novel. How do structured behaviors transform from the beginning of Ella’s captivity to the final confrontation between Ella and Sarah?