Hang the Moon

1. General Impressions 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Have you read other novels set in the American South? What expectations or tropes do you associate with Southern Literature? How does Hang the Moon satisfy or subvert these expectations?
• Jeanette Walls is well known for her memoir, The Glass Castle. If you have read the memoir, how did it inform your reading experience of Hang the Moon? If you have not read the memoir, are you more or less likely to do so now?
• How would you describe Sallie Kincaid? Did you find it easy or challenging to identify and sympathize with her as a protagonist? Would you describe her as a likable character?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Sallie’s father, Hank, marries multiple times and has children with several different women. Do you have any experiences with blended families? What do you think is necessary for complex or blended family structures to establish loving dynamics?
• Have you ever worked for or observed a family business? Do you think that family businesses tend to run more or less smoothly than other types of businesses?
• Sallie has complex relationships with both her half-brother, Eddie, and her half-sister, Mary. How do you think that relationships between sisters tend to differ from relationships between brothers and sisters? If you have siblings, how would you characterize your relationships with them? Have those dynamics changed over time?
• Many of the pivotal events in the plot occur when Sallie is in her late teens. Think back to when you were that age. In what ways was your personality different from what it is now? What life events and experiences shaped you during this life stage?
• Did you agree with Hank’s decision to send Sallie away after Eddie’s accident? What do you think his motivations might have been? Do you believe that he had his daughter’s best interests at heart?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• Sallie eventually learns that her father murdered her mother; because of his power, wealth, and social influence, he did not face any consequences for this action. What kinds of factors inform whether someone is able to get away with a violent crime? What policies or social structures could make it more possible to hold powerful men accountable for their actions?
• Sallie is able to contribute to the family business even though she is often underestimated due to being a woman. What obstacles do women face as entrepreneurs, or in their careers more generally? Given that Hang the Moon is a historical novel, do you think Sallie would be able to run her business with fewer difficulties in the present day?

4. Literary Analysis 

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• Compare and contrast Jane and Kat as Sallie’s two stepmothers. Do they fulfill or subvert the trope of the “evil stepmother”? How do they contrast with what Sallie learns about her own mother (Annie) and Mary’s mother (Belle)?
• Discuss the symbolism of Sallie’s red hair. How does this physical trait reflect aspects of her character?
• How does Sallie’s attitude toward romantic partnerships change over the course of the novel? How is her perspective shaped by the volatile family in which she grows up? Why does Sallie finally feel willing to marry Tom at the end of the novel?
• What does the moonstone necklace symbolize? What is the significance of Sallie putting on the necklace at the novel’s conclusion?

5. Creative Engagement 

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• If the novel were adapted into a film, whom would you cast in the key roles? What aspects of the novel would make for a compelling film, and which might make adaptation challenging?
• Hang The Moon reimagines events from the Tudor dynasty, exploring historical events related to King Henry VIII (a 16th-century English king) and his wives and children. Research the Tudor family or consider another adaptation related to this family (such as the TV series The Tudors or the musical Six). Why do you think that Walls was drawn to the story of this family? Why might she have chosen to recast it in the American South? If you were going to transplant a historical event or figure to another era for the purpose of writing a novel, which event/figure and era would you choose?

Need more inspiration for your next meeting? Browse all of our Book Club Resources.