QUESTIONS FOR BOOK DISCUSSION

A MARGIN OF HOPE

1. What is the significance of the novel's title? Does the story support the title?

2. The author manipulates the time sequence as characters move between past & present (flash back moments). What narrative purpose do these flash-back scenes serve? How effective are these to the development of the plot?

3. Vanessa & Moses' initial situation is not unique. Teenage pregnancy is a common problem. What makes Rosetta Jamieson-Thomas' treatment of this theme in A Margin of Hope unique?

4. One reader writes, "I must admit that I have not read a novel since I was a teenager. I found them too predictable. A Margin of Hope is so much more. It is a novel of substance." Do you agree or disagree? Why?

5. What are Vanessa's core values and how are these reflected in her actions throughout the novel?

6. Vanessa wears a "True Love Waits" pendant as a symbol of her commitment to sexual purity yet she got pregnant. Can young women like Vanessa, with Christian core values, really remain chaste in a promiscuous world where anything goes? Discuss.

7. One reader writes, "A Margin of Hope is a story of faith, hope and love beautifully woven together. I found my own beliefs enriched and renewed." What impact, if any, did this novel have on you?

8. How did Vanessa's early upbringing help prepare her to cope with the crises she faces in her adult life?

9. What are your earliest impressions of the main characters and how do these change as the story develops?

10. Did the characters come alive for you? Are they believable? Can you relate to their predicament? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or of people you know in real life?

11. Moses' near-death experience and his temporary disability prove to be blessings in disguise. Agree or disagree? Why? Discuss.

12. What is Jessica's role and how has this contributed to the development of the plot?
13. What do the older adults (Aunt Tina, Grandma Amy, Deacon Johnny Jones) bring to the novel? Why are their roles important?

14. Describe Moses early attitude towards his son. Is this reflective of the way many in our society views individuals with disabilities? What can we do to change negative perceptions of individuals with disabilities?

15. Hortense Jones puts her pregnant teenage daughter out of her house and refused all communications with her for over seven years. Is this a demonstration of tough love or abuse?

16. Compare and contrast Vanessa's relationship with Moses and her relationship with Ken. What are the similarities and the differences? How do they complement each other? Do you agree (or disagree) with Vanessa that to experience great love it is necessary to have a proper balancing of the physical and the spiritual? Explain.