When All Is Said

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of death by suicide, mental illness, and death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel structures Maurice’s final evening around five toasts to the most important people in his life. How does this framework shape your experience as a reader, and what does it reveal about how we remember and honor those we love?

2. Griffin draws on the Irish “Big House” literary tradition of fiction about wealthy Anglo-Irish families gradually losing power while their estates decline. Have you encountered this theme in other Irish literature, such as Edna O’Brien’s The Country Girls or John McGahern’s The Dark? How do those other works compare to this one? 

3. What drew you most to Maurice as a narrator despite his flaws and questionable choices throughout his life?

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

1. The novel is interested in how different generations convey their feelings in keeping with the social standards of their time. How do you see generational differences in emotional expression playing out in your own family or community?

2. Love and grief appear inseparable throughout Maurice’s story, with him noting that deep love, when lost, leaves you “dripping blood” (213). How does this portrayal of the connection between love and grief resonate with your own understanding of these emotions?

3. Throughout his life, Maurice prioritizes accumulating wealth, believing it will protect and provide for his family, yet this pursuit often creates distance from those he loves. His obsession with money stems from childhood poverty and powerlessness, but it ultimately interferes with his relationships with Sadie and Kevin. How do you navigate the balance between financial security and meaningful relationships in your own life?

4. Maurice sees and regularly converses with his deceased brother Tony and daughter Molly, finding comfort in their continuing presence. Do you believe these interactions reflect genuine spiritual connection, psychological coping mechanisms, or something else entirely? Have you found meaningful ways to keep contact with those who have died?

5. Noreen’s mental health condition creates both deep love and constant worry for Sadie and Maurice, who build their lives around accommodating and protecting her. They develop traditions, like gifting her special coins and jars, to show love despite communication barriers. How does their approach to caring for Noreen compare to how families today might handle similar challenges?

6. Spanning decades of Maurice’s life, the story shows how childhood experiences with the Dollards shaped his adult obsessions and relationships. Which early experiences in your own life do you feel have had the most lasting impact on who you’ve become?

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

1. How do the historical power dynamics that the novel depicts continue to influence contemporary discussions about class, land ownership, and economic inequality?

2. Mental health conditions like Noreen’s were heavily stigmatized in mid-20th century Ireland, leading to institutionalization and family shame. How has society’s approach to mental illness evolved since the time period Griffin depicts, and what challenges remain?

3. Economic hardship drives several characters to emigrate, including Maurice’s sisters and eventually Kevin, separating families across continents. How do you see economic migration continuing to shape family relationships and cultural identity in today’s global economy?

4. How does Maurice’s relationship with the Dollards reflect broader patterns of class conflict and social change in Ireland?

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

1. How does Griffin use the Edward VIII coin to connect the themes of wealth, family legacy, and the weight of the past?

2. The hotel setting serves as both Maurice’s final refuge and the transformed site of his childhood trauma at the Dollard estate. Griffin uses this location to show how physical spaces hold emotional and historical memory, with Maurice recognizing specific details like the dent he made in the wall as a child. How do this setting’s many layered meanings enhance the novel’s exploration of how the past shapes the present?

3. Each of Maurice’s five toasts pairs with a specific alcoholic drink. How does this framework enhance the storytelling, and what significance do you find in Maurice’s choice of different drinks for different people?

4. How reliable do you find Maurice as a narrator, and where do you see gaps between his self-perception and his actual behavior?

5. The story explores multiple forms of communication, from Sadie’s saved whiskey boxes to Maurice’s voice recording for Kevin. How does Griffin show characters finding alternative ways to express love when direct communication fails?

6. Maurice chooses to end his life in the honeymoon suite that Sadie always wanted to experience together. How does this final act reflect the novel’s central themes, and what do you make of Griffin’s decision to die by suicide?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Sadie secretly saved £7,000 and kept all of Kevin’s whiskey gift boxes, yet Griffin never explains her motivations. These hidden behaviors suggest a complex inner life that Maurice never fully understood, even after decades of marriage. What do you imagine drove these behaviors, and how might her version of their marriage story differ from Maurice’s account?

2. If you could rewrite one key moment in Maurice’s life to change the trajectory of his relationships, which would you choose and how would you alter it?

3. Design a memorial or monument that captures the essence of Maurice’s character and his five relationships. What materials, symbols, or inscriptions would you include to honor both his love for these people and his complex legacy?

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