Perfect Peace

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of gender and transgender discrimination, racism, and antigay bias.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did your understanding of the novel’s title, Perfect Peace, evolve as you read through the story?

2. In what ways does Daniel Black’s exploration of forced gender transition differ from other novels that deal with gender identity, such as Jeffrey Eugenides’ Middlesex or Jackie Kay’s Trumpet? How does the historical setting impact this portrayal?

3. What significance does the Jordan River hold as a recurring location throughout the novel?

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

1. Emma Jean’s desperate desire for a daughter stems from her own troubled relationship with her mother. Have any of your family relationships shaped your own identity and expectations, even if this was to a far lesser extent?

2. The novel is concerned with identity, both how one envisions oneself and how others see you. When have you questioned aspects of your identity that others seemed certain about?

3. From Sol’s pursuit of education to Mister’s political activism, many characters in the novel find personal ways to resist societal constraints. What tactics have you used in your own life to carve out space for your authentic self when faced with restrictive expectations?

4. How has your experience with faith communities influenced your understanding of yourself and others?

5. Bartimaeus claims that his blindness allows him to see people for who they truly are, without the judgment that comes from physical appearance. How might this perspective change your approach to relationships and first impressions?

6. The concept of forgiveness weaves throughout the novel’s family dynamics. Has reading this novel shifted your perspective on forgiveness in any way?

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

1. The novel takes place in rural Arkansas during the 1940s, where rigid gender roles intersect with racial discrimination. How do these overlapping systems of oppression impact the characters’ lives and choices?

2. Discuss the novel’s portrayal of the consequences of defying gender norms in the 1940s. How does it compare to contemporary attitudes?

3.  What connections do you see between Mister’s civil rights activism and the personal struggles faced by the Peace family?

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

1. What effect does the narrative’s abrupt pronoun shift have on your reading experience?

2. How does Emma Jean’s personification of her guilt as “Silence” deepen your understanding of her inner conflict?

3. Water symbolism appears throughout the novel, particularly through the Jordan River. What transformations does this motif undergo, and how does it relate to the characters’ spiritual journeys?

4. How does the motif of dresses and dolls function in the novel? Consider both plot and theme in your discussion.

5. Different men in the novel demonstrate various approaches to masculinity, from Authorly’s rigid traditionalism to Mister’s secret relationship with Johnny Ray. How does the author use these contrasts to challenge our understanding of gender?

6. In what ways does Paul’s journey parallel or subvert traditional religious narratives?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Sketch out a version of the story that is set in a different time period. If the story had been set in the present day rather than the 1940s, how might the Peace family’s experiences and choices have differed?

2. Emma Jean desperately wanted to prove she could be a better mother than Mae Helen. What might a letter from Emma Jean to her mother contain if she could write one after everything that happens?

3. Imagine a signature fashion collection that Paul might create, drawing on elements of his unique life experience.

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