Cutting for Stone

Discuss St. Teresa’s importance to the novel. What does she represent to the various characters, and how does this inform the meaning of the novel?

After Ghosh tells Marion the story of Abu Kassem’s slippers, Marion considers this idea throughout his life. What does the story of Abu Kassem mean to Marion, and how does it contribute to the novel’s themes?

Early in the novel, Hema has a near-death experience and resolves to change. How does this resolution manifest in her life? Trace Hema’s growth and development as a character throughout the novel.

Analyze the character of Genet. How is she important to the story? What issues does her character’s arc highlight?

One of Ghosh’s first medical lessons to Marion involved learning to read the pulse. Marion returns to the idea of different types of pulses throughout the novel. What does he mean when he talks about different kinds of pulses? How does this connect to the larger meaning of the text?

On one level, Cutting for Stone is a coming-of-age novel. Trace Marion’s journey from childhood to adulthood. What themes can be illuminated by reading the text this way?

How does Verghese weave the larger story of Ethiopia into Marion’s personal story? How do these two parallel stories—of Missing and Ethiopia—operate together? Why did Verghese choose to structure his novel this way?

This novel approaches the idea of “home” from a variety of perspectives. Choose one character and explore their relationship with “home” throughout the novel. Explain how this character’s journey connects to one of the larger themes of the novel.