Out of Darkness

What role does religion play in Out of Darkness? How might Pastor Tom feel about Henry and the prospect of him marrying Naomi if he knew about Henry’s abuse? How does Henry manipulate religion to serve his own desires?

Wash loves and respects his parents, but feels that his father is too deferential in his interactions with white people—especially when fair treatment and opportunities for people of color are at stake. In what ways does Wash attempt to assert his own identity, separate from his parents? In planning to escape with Naomi and the twins, how might Wash be disappointing his parents?

Beto and Cari care deeply for each other and have a bond only they fully understand. How are Beto and Cari similar, and how are they different? How are their individual relationships with Naomi distinct, despite the fact that she occupies the same role in their lives?

Explore the ways in which Ashley Hope Pérez utilizes foreshadowing and structure in Naomi, Wash, and the twins’ story. Which incidents hint at future ones? How does Pérez integrate misunderstandings? Consider the use of Naomi’s shoe in the Prologue, Wash’s involvement in the use of gas at the New London school, Naomi’s friends and acquaintances hinting at marriage, and Naomi spotting two figures hanging from a tree.

Naomi’s friends Tommie and Muff, unconcerned about racial differences, are each a sharp contrast to the other girls and women in Naomi’s life. What characteristics and circumstances allow for these friendships? While otherwise supportive, why do they encourage marriage between Naomi and Henry?

Consider the letter Naomi’s Abuelita sends to her in which she compels her to accept Henry’s proposal. What are the circumstances which prompt Abuelita to say so? What aspects of the time period might have influenced Abuelita’s beliefs, particularly expectations for women? How much do you think Naomi’s grandparents know about Henry’s true nature?

Out of Darkness has been compared to William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. What themes do these two works share? What factors make Naomi and Wash’s relationship a “forbidden love”? What misunderstandings, a common occurrence in Romeo and Juliet, take place in Out of Darkness, and how do they compare? How do these misunderstandings contribute to the tragic ending of Out of Darkness? How do the contexts of Romeo and Juliet (set in 12th-13th century Italy) and Out of Darkness (set in Texas in 1937) shape each story?

Consider the vast array of secrets kept by characters in Out of Darkness. Who keeps these secrets, from whom and why? Choose a secret and imagine the potential effects of revealing it. For example, what might have happened if Naomi told Tommie about Henry’s abuse?