When the Jessamine Grows

What does the inclusion of the character Charlie Hastings bring to the story? Why do you think Everhart chose to include him in the novel?

Rudean is a morally complex character with many unpleasant traits but also some positive traits that become more present as the novel progresses. How well does the novel address the moral complexity of a character like Rudean?

How does Everhart explore gender relations and womanhood in the novel with Joetta, Bess, Mary, Anna, Joetta’s mother, and the other women? Write an essay on the novel from a gender perspective, with a focus on the intersection between class and race as well.

How does Robert’s role in the family change after Henry leaves for the war? How does Robert’s role in the family change once again after Charlie arrives and joins the family? Compare and contrast the dynamics between Henry and Robert and Robert and Charlie.

The book ends with the revelation that Ennis is alive and he reunites with Joetta and the boys. Henry’s whereabouts, however, remain unknown. Why do you think Everhart chose to end the book this way?

The war affects each member of the family in different ways. How does the war affect each of them and how does this impact lead to character development and reflect the complexities in the family members’ personalities?

Compare and contrast Joetta’s friendships with Bess and Mary. How are their friendships affected by the war, and how does Joetta’s neutrality reveal some of the true, hidden aspects of Bess’s and Mary’s characters?

What is Joetta’s relationship with the past, and how does it change throughout the novel? What does the war teach her about the past? What does the war teach her about the future?