The Pecan Man

How do notions of gender and gender roles affect female characters in the novel? In what way is the novel’s time period important here?

Blanche initially insists that no one must know that Grace was attacked or that Skipper Kornegay is the culprit. Ora goes along with the lie. How might Ora have handled the situation if Blanche had not been present in the novel? How might the outcome of the story have changed?

Ora often speaks about the charity work she did when her husband was alive, describing it as being done magnanimously but “at arm’s length” (97). What does she mean? How is the help she gives Blanche’s family and Eddie different?

How might the novel be different if it were told from Grace’s perspective? In 2018, Selleck published The Truth About Grace, a sequel to The Pecan Man. What aspects of Grace’s experiences might this novel address, and why?

In what ways is Ora unaware of her privilege as a white person? How do her experiences within the plot make her aware of these privileges?

Ora often speaks in passing about her late husband, Walter. How is Ora affected by his death? What does she learn about herself upon reflecting on her marriage after it is over?

Examine minor character Chip Smallwood. What role does he play in the novel, and how does his character evolve as the novel unfolds?

A final secret is revealed at the end of the novel: Eddie is Blanche’s father. What motivates Eddie to keep this secret? Who is protected, and who is harmed by it?