Betty

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of racism and death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The storytelling in Betty weaves together the magical and the tragic. What aspects of Landon’s stories did you find most compelling? How did his narratives function as both an escape from reality and as a tool for processing difficult truths?

2. Betty tackles extremely difficult subject matter while still offering moments of beauty and hope. Did you find the balance between darkness and light effective? What emotions stayed with you after finishing the book?

3. Many readers have compared Betty to other novels exploring family secrets and intergenerational trauma, such as Alice Walker’s The Color Purple. In what ways does McDaniel’s approach to difficult topics resemble or differ from Walker’s?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Throughout the novel, Betty finds power in writing down the stories of the women in her family. What role has writing or storytelling played in your own life during difficult times?

2. Landon teaches his children that the earth speaks to us if we listen carefully enough. When have you felt a particularly strong connection to the natural world, and how did it affect your perspective?

3. The Carpenter children each develop different coping mechanisms for their difficult circumstances. Which character’s approach to hardship resonates most with your own?

4. Betty slowly comes to appreciate her Cherokee heritage despite the racism she experiences. Can you recall a time when you grew to value something about yourself that others criticized? What supported your journey toward self-acceptance?

5. A Faraway Place serves as a sanctuary where the sisters can dream and express themselves freely. What spaces have served as sanctuaries in your own life, and how have they shaped your sense of self?

6. The pursuit of yellow represents hope for both Alka and Fraya in their darkest moments. What objects, colors, or symbols have represented hope in your life? How do you sustain optimism during challenging times?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Poverty and isolation in mid-20th century Appalachia serve as the backdrop for the Carpenters’ story. In what ways do economic circumstances limit the characters’ choices? How might their lives have unfolded differently with greater resources?

2. Betty faces racism from both students and teachers who belittle her Cherokee heritage. What does the novel reveal about how racism becomes normalized in educational institutions? How have these dynamics evolved or persisted today?

3. The contrast between Cherokee matriarchal traditions and white patriarchal structures creates tension throughout the novel. What observations can you make about how the various women navigate these conflicting cultural values?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. The recurring motif of yellow appears through Alka’s obsession with lemons and Fraya’s love of dandelions. What does this color symbolize for each character? How does it connect to their experiences of trauma and hope?

2. What does the metaphor “a girl comes of age against the knife” suggest about Betty’s coming-of-age experience (7)? This phrase becomes both the opening line of the novel and of Betty’s future book—why might this repetition be significant?

3. Landon’s oral stories function differently from the written stories that Betty buries beneath A Faraway Place. What does this contrast suggest about different approaches to processing trauma?

4. Memory emerges as a powerful force throughout Betty. In what ways do characters use memory as a form of resistance? When does remembering prove healing versus harmful?

5. Newspaper reports about mysterious gunfire punctuate the narrative at regular intervals. What purpose do these interludes serve? How do they comment on the gap between public perception and private reality in Breathed?

6. A Faraway Place evolves from a childhood playground to something more complex as Betty matures. What does this symbol represent at different stages of the novel? How does its meaning change after tragedies like Trustin’s death and Fraya’s murder?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. The stage called A Faraway Place allows the sisters to escape their reality through imagination and creativity. Design your own version of this space. What would it include? What activities or rituals would help you transform your everyday experience?

2. Imagine Betty returns to Breathed 20 years after leaving at the end of the novel. Write a brief scene describing what she might find there and how she would process returning to the site of so much pain and love.

3. Landon’s stories often personify nature and infuse the landscape with meaning and magic. Think about a natural setting that’s important to you. What story might you create about it that honors its spirit while offering wisdom, as Landon’s stories do?

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