Love Made Visible
Reader's Guide
Compiled and Edited by
Introduction
I wish I could say we had planned this Reader's Guide from day one of the conception of the Anthology, but the fact is, just as Three Ladies Playing Cellos went to press, I awoke at 6:30 one morning with an idea (not a usual experience for a night owl).When I'm not plying my trade as a trainer or writing (fiction), I'm reading (or praying that I'll soon be able to write again). During this period, I decided to read a few of Oprah's picks. I had read two and was working on a third when I began to wonder how she selected each book. I thought perhaps she looked for a formula, but the stories were as diverse as were our Anthology pieces. At the end of the first book, The Deep End of the Ocean, I was surprised (and delighted) to find the interview with author Jacquelyn Mitchard and the thought-provoking questions for discussion. Although I had enjoyed the books, the questions and interview made me rethink the various themes in the book and how they impacted my life.Coming from an Instructional Technologist's background where our company motto is "Learning is fun! If it's not fun, it's not learning," I immediately saw the potential of adding an instructional/fun element to our Anthology stories that were already fabulous in their own right. I emailed each writer and asked: Why don't we have a series of questions for each story/true account/poem that could be used in discussion groups, classroom settings, or private meditations that reflect the themes within the pieces. As one writer responded: "Often, when forced to sit in on discussions, I find myself thinking, 'Why don't they talk about the REAL issues here, instead of this stuff?'" Even, or maybe, especially, the title poem evokes a myriad of thought-provoking questions.In further researching other Anthologies, I found no similar Reader's Guides (except in books developed for the classroom). However, I did find a whole series of great books with accompanying Discussion Questions on the Penguin Putnam Publisher's website. In fact, the site contained a whole list of great books complete with discussion questions, author interviews, as well as suggestions on how to form a Reading Group. I make no claim that their site is the only such site, but I urge you to check out:DamnYankee.com is proud to offer another forum for discussion through the Reader's Guide developed for the Anthology which is available both through the website and as a print version.We sincerely hope you have as much fun reading and discussing our pieces as we did in writing them. We also hope these questions offered for discussion are just a starting point for you. We see ourselves in everything we write, in each character we bring to life. We wonder if and how you will see yourself in our characters, how our themes relate to your life, how our piece affects your very soul. A few of the many themes we explore are: the environment; cultural diversity; freedom; love of God and neighbor; effect of war on people's lives; the impact of progress on both individuals and the community; the need for communication within families; suicide; AIDS; financial struggles; the plight of the Homeless; fate and predestination; truth; obedience; time travel; faith; monetary values; lawlessness; following/breaking rules; and the afterlife. We suggest after reading the story, you discuss it before reading the Author Interview. Pause to read the Author Interview for greater insight, then resume the discussion. Remember: the Discussion Questions are only a starting point. Every reader gets a slightly (or diametrically) different meaning from every experience. Experience our pieces. And most of all: enjoy!We welcome all your responses and can be reached through our publisher: editor@damnyankee.com or via snail mail to me at 11415 Georgetown Circle, Tampa, FL 33635.Peace and blessings,
Discussion Questions
1. No matter what your age, you can remember specific events that changed your life. Discuss what they were and how they changed your life.
2. What is a "culm" heap? How did that constant burning affect the environment then? What kinds of "culm heaps" are affecting our present environment? Our world? Our town? Our home?
3. Khalil's parents were immigrants from Lebanon and he grew up in a multi-cultural environment. How did Khalil manage to transcend the two cultures in which he lived? How is this aspect of the story still as apropos today as it was in the 40's? How is life different (the same) then and now.
4. Duty: Is duty important in your life? Do you ever feel overwhelmed by it? What are some of the responsibilities that Khalil's family shouldered? What are some you carry? How can you ease the burden? How did Pop bare what Khalil felt were burdensome tasks?
5. Pride: When is it good to be proud? When does Pride become sinful?
6. Have you ever followed in someone's footsteps in the snow? What about in real life? How does it feel? Does it make you feel stressed? Proud? Do you think Khalil felt he could follow in his Pop's footsteps?
7. Why did the author use a title from one of Khalil Gibran's poems? What does "Love Made Visible" mean to you? How do you demonstrate your love for God and others in your life? Who is Khalil Gibran? Bring one of his writings to class next time.
8. The setting is during World War II. Is that time period relevant today? How did the war affect Khalil's family? Has war affected your family? What about the small "wars" we experience on a daily basis?
9. What did Khalil learn about his father? His brother? The priest? Himself? How did these lessons change Khalil? What do these lessons teach you? What can you do differently in your life?
10. Do you see yourself in one or more of the characters? Have you ever experienced similar situations? Is that what your family gatherings are like?
11. Can you relate to the dedicated way Pop served the priest?
12. How did you react to the priest? How did you feel when he treated Khalil's Pop so coldly? How did you feel when he was accused of stealing the church funds to buy the new car? Did your view change later?
13. Discuss Repentance. How did Khalil feel when he usually went to confession? How did he feel this time? How did the priest react to Khalil's "mortal" sin? Do you ever make too much or too little of hurtful things you have done?
14. Did Abouna have any redeeming qualities? Are there redeeming qualities in those around you? Do you look for the good, rather than the bad, in each person?
15. What is the affect of lies, rumors, innuendo on individuals, the family, the community?
16. Do you know what "unconditional love" means? Discuss Pop's love. Do you offer unconditional love to God, to your family, neighbors, fellow workers? Discuss.
17. How does Khalil view obedience? How does his Pop view it? What rules do you have to follow that you wish you didn't have to follow? How would you react if you broke the rules, or the rules you set for someone were broken?
18. Discuss the role of Khalil's brother in the family. Do you think he wanted that role?
19. Despite all the shortcomings the priest had, Khalil's brother still considered it a great honor to welcome him into their home. Why? Has such a confusing scenario ever happened to you? Discuss.
20. How did Khalil's view of his Pop change over the course of the week? How did the events change him?
21. What character do you most identify with? Why?
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Author Interview
Q. Where did the idea for writing Love Made Visible come from?
A. I grew up as an all-American girl. My ancestors had long left their ethnicity behind them. When I met my husband, Peter in 1964, I was drawn into the fascinating Mid-East culture: food, music, loveable characters, tribalism, life-long grudges, deep emotions that could change in a moment's notice. Above all else were the stories: life in the Village high in the mountains of Lebanon, the fantastic journey from the old world to the new, a family (from father to youngest son) that had spanned more than a century. There were the tales told in awe of the saintliness of the father (grandfather, great-grandfather to some) who had died before the youngest son had reached adulthood.
For many years, my husband and I dreamed of going to the Village, but we were a young married couple with children to raise, a company to nurture, and graduate degrees to complete. In the mid-eighties, an unknown man knocked on my brother-in-law's door and announced he was a second cousin who had emigrated from Lebanon to Australia. Not until that time did any of the US family know there were living relatives in both Australia and Lebanon. The family had lost contact during WWII and because of the subsequent strife in the Middle East never able to reconnect. Within months, we traveled to Australia and met Peter's three first cousins, children of his mother's sister. Soon after, despite the on-going war, Peter traveled to Lebanon and met four other first cousins, one who lived in his mother's family home. They took him to visit the land that his father had left almost a century before and proudly pointed to the fruit-bearing fig tree that still grew there. The plot of land was still known as Jhilius' land. We have since visited many times and have researched the genealogy of the family tree. The family and culture have become part of my life and I can't help but write about them.* * * *
Q. Does that mean this story is really a true account?
A. The characters are definitely based on an amalgamation of personalities I've met throughout the years and the tale might have happened, but it blends together many different elements to create the story told here. I have written many other "Khalil" stories that will be published in time.
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Q. You hit many themes. What do you hope your reader to take from this story?
A. First and foremost: God is Love. If we love God, all else comes easily to us. Every moment, I beg God to let me love. If I can love completely, selflessly, I am in complete union with God. Nothing is more important than that. That's why it was easy for Pop to serve the priest. He did it to serve God with joy. He offered thanks to God first, then did his job. Second: Obedience means giving joy to someone. Think of being a young child again. When we obeyed our parents, it made them happy and it made us happy to know they were happy. When we serve to make someone happy, it brings joy to all involved. When we are obedient and do it for God, out of joy, then we are truly blessed. Third: Truth is absolute. Lies only muddy the water. We should seek and offer the truth in all we do.
© 2000 Mary Sullivan Esseff. All Rights Reserved.
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About the Author
Mary Sullivan Esseff has been writing stories since she was in high school and gives them as gifts to her children at Christmas. Further stories of Khalil can be found in her novel, The Butterfly and the Snail. She lives in Florida with her soul mate, husband for thirty-five years, and business partner, Peter. She boasts of three beautiful adult children: Jeanne, a Creative Memories consultant, who together with her husband, Joe, has produced two of the most beautiful, delightful grandchildren in the world, Cecelia and Julianne; Sr. Rosemary, a Dominican Sister, a gifted musician and conductor; and Pete, a brilliant young man just waiting to set the world on fire. Mary is well known as an Instructional Technologist. Her non-fiction works can be found on her company's website: http://www.ESF-ProTrainer.com. She is grateful to God for the many blessings and gifts showered on her and her family. She is also grateful to the overwhelming love and support she receives from her family, friends, and writers at darkstormy.com. Along with David A. Woodbury, Mary coordinated the production and print publication of this volume.Go to DamnYankee.com to order or download the complete Anthology, Three Naked Ladies Playing Cellos, as well as the companion Reader's Guide, which contain stories by these other fine authors:
Douglas C. Smyth
Goat Lady
A traveling peddler loses his professional detachment when he realizes the extent of the goat lady's vulnerability. He doesn't have time for this, you know.
Gabriel Stevens
Invisibility
Sometimes you think you're as low as you can go, and then things really go wrong.
Terry Burns
Options
And what were you going to do with that gun? How can a simple knock at the door so radically change your options?
Michael Ostlund
Warriors
After more than four years of combat Major O'Malley understood the hazards but still relished the fight. His team was the best, and he owed it to his son.
Michelle Buckman
The Pendant
What was more symbolic of Allysia's union with Chris than her wedding band? Could losing that symbol herald some crushing tragedy?
James Ross Wiley
Another Time, Another Place
A boy of twelve has the chance to prove to the old woman that he is not a hooligan. The old woman has the chance to prove she is not... not what? Not an old woman?
Lee Smith
The Third Virgin
The strange things people did to regain God's favor after those suitcase atom bombs started going off all over the crazy placeon average three a week in the U.S. alone! And what worse place to go report on such antics than the site of what had once been Hanoi!
Cindy Appel
Unalone
Calinda is just a lone transport pilot shipwrecked on an uninhabited chunk of cosmic debris. Who is it, then, that provides for her in such familiar ways?
b.j. lawry
The Big Black Shiny Cadillac
On a very long road trip, don't you inevitably encounter the same nuisance vehicle again and again? Sometimes you're ready to report it to the authorities, too.
Jo Ann Yolanda Hernández
Straight From The Heart
Can an ill-gotten gift say what's in your heart? If it's from the heart, is it truly ill-gotten?
Susan Shell Winston
Governor Edwards' House Is For Sale
The memories don't go with the house, do they? Can't leave them behind. The buyer won't know what to do with them.
Pat Brown
The Lesser Gods
Fabled person of the sky, meet fabled inhabitant of the planet that might have been earth. Courtesy is due, but beware of what you don't understand.
David A. Woodbury
That Face
There was more to her than her face. Much more. But he loved that face.
Don Windle
The Day I Should Have Died
Oh, and the stuff that makes for blood-racing fiction also happens in lived-to-tell-about-it real life. There's a big difference between imagined and remembered.
Deb Hartrum
Mercedes
Is there anything more poignant than letting go--really letting go?
