At the novel’s beginning, Emily’s father Douglas disagrees with Ellen on the best way to tell Emily that he is dying. In the end, Ellen tells Emily without Douglas’s consent. How do you think they should have handled that discussion? Did Ellen act inappropriately, or did she, despite her bluntness, provide a service to Douglas and Emily by telling the girl? Why or why not?

What do you think Douglas means when he tells Emily that their God and Ellen’s God are not the same? How does this conversation introduce the theme of The Nature of God?

When the Murrays come to Douglas’s funeral, Ellen tells Emily that she should hope Aunt Ruth takes her in, but Emily wants to live with Aunt Laura. Which Murray relative would you most want to live with? Why? Give specific details from the text to support your answer.