The Island of Missing Trees

Comment on the titles of the different parts of the book and the symbolism they carry with respect to the events that occur within their respective sections.

Food is a recurring motif throughout the book. Which character is it associated with, and why? What theme do you think this motif is calling to? Support your answer with examples from the text.

Compare and contrast Ada’s and Defne’s characters. What personality traits do they share in common? Do you think their respective upbringings have influenced the differences between them? Justify your response with evidence from the text.

What does the tavern symbolize? Comment on the symbolism of its name, especially in connection with the eventual fate of the tree it is named after.

How is Kostas’s character representative of the theme of Nature and Interconnectedness that is explored in the book?

Trace the appearances made by butterflies across the story to explain the different ways in which they symbolize the shared connection between Kostas, Defne, and their children.

Explain the symbolism of the pocket watch and how it connects to the ideas of time and history as explored in the book.

The fig tree effectively lives two life spans—an almost-century long one in Cyprus and a fledgling 16 years in London. What significance do each of these life spans have within the larger picture? What parallels can be drawn between these lives and that of the story’s context and characters?