Discussion Questions The Berry Pickers May 2025
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The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
Discussion Questions
1. The Berry Pickers is a story told from two perspectives. Was it easy to move between Norma and Joe’s narratives? What about the transition between the memories of the past and present day?
2. After the disappearance of Ruthie, what keeps the family together? What struggles do they face in the aftermath of this loss?
3. As the last person to see Ruthie before she disappeared, Joe is haunted for the rest of his life. How do you think guilt/regret affected his life, or changed who he could have become?
4. When did you figure out the relationship between the two storylines, and how did it make you feel?
5. How does Ruthie's disappearance echo tragedies and atrocities in the broader history of Indigenous peoples? What did you learn about Indigenous children being forcefully taken from their families?
6. How does Norma's feeling of being stuck between worlds come out in the story?
7. Joe was portrayed as an angry, violent, heavy drinker even though other factors affected him behind the scenes. How often do we misjudge people based on our lack of knowledge and past history?
8. In the end, why do you think Norma's mother felt she was justified in kidnapping Norma? How did this affect her life in the long run?
9. This story weighs heavily on the ability to forgive. As the reader, are you able to find the characters redeemable in any way, or are some unforgiveable?
10. Joe’s family faces two episodes of racism: (1) when the Maine Sheriff refuses to search for Ruthie and (2) when the local Indian Agent wants to take away the remaining children. Discuss the effects of racism on the family. How do you feel you would have reacted to these situations?
11. Have you ever discovered a family secret? How did it change your relationship with the people around you?
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