The Hand That First Held Mine

What role does the omniscient narrator serve? Where does the text slip into omniscient narration, and what is the significance of this?

Discuss the politics of relationships in the novel. Does the novel present marriage as desirable or necessary for romantic relationships or parenthood? Why or why not?

Lexie regularly observes her surroundings and the people around her with some detachment. Pick two or three instances of this and discuss how those moments reflect a major theme of the novel or a major aspect of Lexie’s character.

Choose three minor characters and discuss why O’Farrell includes them in the narrative. Use textual evidence to support your argument.

Innes and Gloria never tell Margot that Innes is not her biological father. Discuss how her ignorance affects who she is and how she navigates relationships. Find specific textual evidence to support your discussion.

The Hand That First Held Mine is primarily a story about motherhood, but there are also several fathers/father figures in the novel (Ted, Innes, Felix, Robert Lowe). Discuss how the novel treats fatherhood, especially as it contrasts with the treatment of motherhood.

There are several older women in the novel who are not mothers (Mrs. Collins, Muriel, Fitzgerald’s housekeeper, Mrs. Gallo). What textual role do these women serve?

The novel centers on the relationships between mothers and sons. However, Elina, Lexie, and Margot all have complicated relationships with their own mothers. Discuss the significance of the contrast between mother/son and mother/daughter relationships in the novel.