The Great Divide

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

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did Henríquez’s decision to tell the Panama Canal story through the eyes of everyday people impact your reading experience? How does this approach compare to Henríquez’s earlier work The Book of Unknown Americans, which also centers on overlooked perspectives?

2. The novel presents multiple moral perspectives on the Panama Canal project, from Francisco’s opposition to Omar’s initial embrace of the work. Whose viewpoint did you find most compelling, and did your own perspective shift as you read?

3. What emotional response did the parallel storylines (Ada in Panama, Lucille in Barbados, Valentina in Gatún) evoke as you followed characters from different backgrounds? Which narrative thread captured your interest most strongly?

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

1. Ada Bunting demonstrates real courage when traveling alone to Panama in search of opportunity. When have you taken a significant risk or stepped outside your comfort zone for the sake of helping someone you love?

2. Francisco and Omar’s strained relationship centers on their differing views of progress and tradition. Have you ever experienced a similar divide with a family member? How did you navigate it?

3. Marian feels constrained by societal expectations despite her education and capabilities. In what ways have you experienced or witnessed limitations based on identity or social expectations?

4. Valentina organizes her community to resist displacement, showing the power of collective action. Have you ever participated in or witnessed grassroots organizing around an issue that affected your community? What was the outcome?

5. Many characters in the novel experience a tension between maintaining cultural identity and adapting to changing circumstances. How have you balanced traditions with change in your own life?

6. The novel explores how characters find purpose and meaning through their work—Omar in construction and later teaching, Ada in nursing and medicine. How has your own professional life shaped your identity and values?

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

1. Henríquez portrays American imperialism in Panama through both policies and personal interactions. How does this relate to contemporary discussions about economic development, foreign intervention, and global power dynamics?

2. The novel depicts various forms of racial hierarchy and prejudice across different settings. What perspectives does it offer about racism during this period?

3. Women in the novel like Ada, Marian, and Valentina navigate societal constraints while seeking agency and purpose. What connections do you see between their struggles and contemporary conversations about gender equality?

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

1. How does Henríquez use the physical construction of the Panama Canal as both a literal and metaphorical dividing line between characters, cultures, and worldviews?

2. The novel alternates between multiple perspectives and storylines. How does this structure contribute to the novel’s themes and your understanding of the historical context?

3. Consider how the three major settings—Panama, the canal construction sites, and Barbados—appear within the narrative. How does each setting reflect different aspects of imperialism?

4. How does the symbolism of water—through Francisco’s fishing, the canal’s purpose, and even Millicent’s fluid-filled lungs—tie into the novel’s larger themes?

5. Characters like Ada, Omar, and Francisco undergo significant development throughout the novel. Which character’s transformation did you find most compelling, and what factors drove their change?

6. How does power operate throughout the novel? Who holds it, how is it used, and how do characters resist it? What statement is Henríquez making about power structures and their impact on individuals?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. The photographs taken by Molly at the Gatún protest never make it to print. Write a newspaper headline and brief article that might have appeared had her editor decided to publish the story.

2. The novel ends with glimpses of the characters’ lives years after the canal’s completion. Draft a letter from Ada to Omar after they’ve both established their new careers.

3. The town of Gatún was relocated to make way for the canal. Design a memorial or monument that acknowledges both what was lost and what was created during the canal’s construction.

Need more inspiration for your next meeting? Browse all of our Book Club Resources.