The Vaster Wilds

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of illness or death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The title, The Vaster Wilds, encompasses both physical landscapes and psychological terrain. What did this title evoke for you before reading the book, and how did your understanding change by the end? Did the concept of “wilderness” transform throughout the story?

2. Survival narratives like Jack London’s To Build a Fire often position nature as an adversary to be conquered. How does Groff’s portrayal of the wilderness differ from other survival stories you’ve read?

3. What struck you most about the novel’s ending, in which the girl dies and an oak tree eventually grows through her ribcage?

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

1. The girl discovers moments of profound joy in nature despite her dire circumstances. When have you experienced similar unexpected beauty in challenging situations?

2. Throughout her journey, the girl’s relationship with faith evolves dramatically. Have your own spiritual beliefs undergone significant transformations over time? What precipitated these changes?

3. The protagonist’s lack of a proper name profoundly affects her sense of identity. How do the names we carry shape our perception of ourselves? Has your name or what others call you influenced your concept of self?

4. Surviving alone in the wilderness requires both physical strength and psychological fortitude. What resources would you draw upon if you faced similar isolation?

5. When the girl sees her reflection, she barely recognizes herself. This moment forces her to confront how profoundly her journey changed her. Have you ever experienced a similar disconnect between your self-image and reality?

6. As death approaches, the girl envisions an alternate version of herself who survives but lives in solitude. She ultimately concludes that although survival contains beauty, she wouldn’t choose to survive alone. Do you agree with her assessment?

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

1. Groff sets her novel during the Jamestown colony’s “starving time,” a historical period rarely examined from a servant girl’s perspective. What insights does this marginalized viewpoint offer about colonial America that traditional historical accounts might miss?

2. The novel portrays colonialism as inherently violent, both toward Indigenous peoples and toward the land itself. In what ways do you see these colonial attitudes persisting in contemporary society?

3. Throughout the narrative, the girl’s suffering comes primarily from European men, yet colonial stories have taught her to fear the Indigenous people she never directly encounters. Where do you see similar dynamics at work today?

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

1. Despite following a solitary protagonist, Groff incorporates flashbacks, dreams, and hallucinations to provide context and depth. What do these narrative techniques reveal about the girl’s psychological state?

2. Water symbolizes development and forward motion throughout the novel. Trace the girl’s relationship with water, from her sea journey to England through her final moments by the river. How does the water motif parallel her spiritual and philosophical evolution?

3. Monsters appear throughout the text, both as figures in the girl’s night terrors and as real people she encounters. What statement does this blurring make about human nature and fear? How does it connect to the novel’s themes?

4. The protagonist begins naming trees and plants during her journey, finding power in this act while lacking a true name herself. Consider the implications of naming as an act of control. How does this relate to the colonial practice of renaming landscapes?

5. The girl’s vision of her “second self” living alone in the woods is a powerful counterfactual narrative. What purpose does this alternate timeline serve? How does it complement or challenge the novel’s ending?

6. Examine how Groff balances detailed descriptions of survival tactics with philosophical reflections on existence. What does this structural choice suggest about the relationship between basic survival and spiritual enlightenment?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine that the girl’s story became a legend among the Powhatan people. Create a brief oral tale they might tell about the strange, dying girl they glimpsed in the wilderness.

2. The girl considers naming herself during her journey but never does. What name would you give her based on her character and experiences, and what would this name symbolize about her journey?

3. Write a brief journal entry that the girl might have written on her first night of freedom after escaping the fort. What thoughts, fears, and hopes might she express?

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