Where the Crawdads Sing

Discuss the role of nature in Kya’s development from childhood to womanhood.

Compare and contrast Tate Walker and Chase Andrews, focusing on their attitudes towards nature, other people, and personal responsibility.

Discuss the role of irony in the novel. What does it mean that Kya is guilty of murdering Tate? How would the novel read differently if Owens had described the murder as it took place and readers knew all along that Kya was guilty?

Was Kya justified in killing Chase? Which of the many systems of morality described in the novel would you use to come to a decision? Use evidence from the novel to support your stance.

What message about exclusion and belonging does Owens communicate through her characters and the plot?

Discuss the role of racism and/or classism in the novel. What impact do Jumpin’ and Mabel’s actions have on the representation of African-Americans in the novel? What role do class distinctions play in the town’s treatment of Kya?

Consider the genre of the novel. What aspects of different genres—Southern gothic, literary fiction, romance, and crime fiction—come into play in the novel? Does one genre predominate?

Rites of passage are important elements of the coming-of-age novel. How do the peculiarities of Kya’s situation shape her coming of age?