The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 4

Compare how Mary and Saffronia navigate their independence. What do their contrasting occupations and households suggest about the options available to unmarried women in Emma’s society?

Emma and Pierce communicate through written notes passed through their shared attic wall as well as through face-to-face conversation. How does this combination of written and spoken exchanges affect the development of their relationship? Cite specific evidence from the text to support your argument.

During Emma’s visit to Berkshire for Maxwell’s burial, Lord Stuart, Lady Stuart, and Evelyn Stuart each react differently to her presence. What do their contrasting behaviors reveal about the Stuart family dynamic and its relationship to Maxwell’s memory?

How do Hawkes’s sermons intersect with the private lives of his listeners? What do they reveal about the novel’s characters?

Compare Emma’s interactions with Charles to her encounters with Roland. How do their different approaches to Emma, and her reactions to each of them, reflect competing pressures regarding marriage?

How does this novel compare and contrast to Brower’s other novels, such as The Q (2016)? What patterns can you identify in her choice of themes and protagonists across her work?

How does the ongoing deception surrounding the fictional chaperone illuminate the social rules and expectations of authority that govern Emma’s world?

What does Emma’s attire across the story reveal about how she negotiates social expectations?