I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919

How does the novel’s portrayal of the tension between corporate profit and class inequality emphasize the theme of Industrial Negligence and the Human Cost of Progress? How might this message connect to contemporary discussions about public safety or corporate ethics?

How do language, family traditions, and community relationships shape Carmen’s sense of identity? In what ways does Tarshis use Carmen’s story to engage with the concept of belonging?

Memory, especially through the repeated phrase “Hold on”—shapes Carmen’s actions and emotional growth. How does Tarshis use memory as both a comfort and a burden to develop her thematic exploration of Recovery and Remembrance After Tragedy?

Explore Tarshis’s use of figurative language and literary devices, such as metaphor, simile, and personification. How do these tools help encourage readers to connect emotionally to history?

Tarshis explicitly defines historical fiction for her readers, distinguishing between the “facts” and “fiction” elements. How does I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919, balance accuracy and imagination?

Through Carmen’s reflections on her life in Italy, Tarshis introduces early 20th-century gender expectations. How does Carmen’s life in America challenge these norms?

How does Tarshis’s portrayal of Boston’s North End reinforce her thematic exploration of Immigrant Resilience and Community Solidarity? Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.

Discuss Tarshis’s literary allusion to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) in the novel. How does she use intertextual connections to highlight imagination as a tool for survival and self-discovery?