Book Club Discussion Questions
for Pole Dancers at the Red Barn
- What does the Red Barn symbolize for the dancers and others connected to it? How does it function as a place of reinvention or self-definition?
- Had Ambrose not gone to war, do you think Doris would have been happy as his wife, or would her more adventurous side have emerged regardless?
- Even though Eddie is unfaithful to his wife, should he be viewed as a sympathetic character?
- What do you think happened to Victoria’s mother that caused her to change her mind on Victoria’s twelfth birthday?
- Why do you think Gloria/Bill continued to live with their mother?
- What were some early warning signs Bella might have noticed that her husband was capable of violence and cruelty?
- Should Marie have so easily forgiven Gloria/Bill for abandoning their friendship?
- Does either Iris’s or Will’s reaction to the return of their mother resonate more with you? How do you think you might react in a similar situation?
- In thinking about Celeste’s relationship with her mother, to what extent should a child be expected to abide by a parent’s expectations? Should those expectations continue after the parent’s death?
- What was your favorite quote or passage? Why did it connect with you?
