Book Group Discussion Questions for Hannah Coulter

As we prepared for our November discussion, I didn't find any discussion questions for our selection of Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry. As I was reading, I jotted down a few ideas and compiled the following questions before our meeting. Unfortunately, I forgot to print them to take with me, but our discussion still covered most of these topics. Perhaps another book club or reader will find these questions helpful or thought provoking. Links for further reading can be found at the end of this post.

1. The idea of “place” features prominently in the novel. How does Hannah understand and describe this concept? Can such a place be found apart from the land, or to put it differently, how can a significant place be found outside an agrarian community?
   
2. Wendell Berry is known, among other things, for promoting sustainable agriculture, environmentalism, and conservationism, or minimizing one’s impact on the environment. How does he communicate his ideals through Hannah’s voice? Share some specific passages.
   
3. Biblical allusions were subtle, but surely present in this novel. Which ones did you notice or particularly stood out to you? What is the role of faith in Hannah Coulter’s life and in the community of Port William?
   
4. There is a shift in the narrative between Parts I and II. (chronological narrative vs. reminiscing and directly addressing Andy Catlett) Discuss these differences and what the author might have been trying to accomplish with these changes.
   
5. How did Hannah Coulter understand and describe her two courtships and marriages? What were some of the strengths and weaknesses of each of these relationships?
   
6. What did you find to be the most surprising thing about this novel? Did it challenge your thinking? Did it make you long for a by-gone era or a rural life? Do you think Wendell Berry’s portrayal of rural life is more realistic or idealistic?