Finding Margaret Fuller: A Novel

Write a character sketch of Lidian Emerson. What are her strong points? What are her weaknesses? In your opinion, does she seem well suited to be the wife of Ralph Waldo Emerson? Why or why not?

Both Margaret and others often described her as a butterfly. Why? Is she happy with the analogy? Why or why not? Use textual evidence to illustrate.

Discuss cultural expectations of women in the early 19th century. How does Margaret fail to live up to the ideals of womanhood? Are these ideals universal in the novel? How do others’ views affect her perspective about herself?

How does Emerson’s experience as a transcendental author differ from Margaret’s? Use textual evidence to examine what observations Margaret offers about gender as it relates to intellectual pursuits.

Gardens feature prominently in the novel. What do they represent? Give two examples in which they appear, and explain Margaret’s reaction to them, both positive and negative, using textual evidence.

Compare and contrast George Sand’s way of life with Margaret’s. How does the former impact the latter? To what extent does their cultural conditioning affect how society perceives each of them? Why?

The concept of home looms large in Margaret’s consciousness. Discuss the elements of her background that lead her to emphasize its importance. Does she perceive it in the same way that Waldo might? Why or why not?

Margaret experiences recurring nightmares in which she’s drowning. Why does this particular dream scenario haunt her? Does it simply foreshadow her eventual death, or is it something more?