Book Clubs & Other Groups
stuff to discuss
Worthy
Worthy is a simple story with archetypal characters and situations everyone can relate to. You might find some of the question prompts below helpful for generating group discussion.
Book Club Questions
1. How did Worthy overcome the fact that her mother was not good to her? How has your response to life’s hardships shaped your life, for better or worse?
2. Why was the truth so important to Worthy? Is truth important to you and if so, how?
3. Why do you think Worthy did not “go all the way” with Bud? Was that a good choice or irrelevant choice? Can young women date and find a life partner without engaging in sex?
4. How was it possible that Ellayner and the other people from Goinstown did not see themselves as victims? What did their attitude reveal about them?
5. How did Worthy treat authority?
6. What enabled Worthy to not just dream of going to college but to actually do it?
7. The people Worthy encounters in life are archetypes, the same types of people we all experience. Have you known a Bud, Mrs. Johnson, Alexander Goins, Ellayner Goins, Papa Stokes, or a Ruby? What role did they play in your growth as a person?
8. What about the death of Butch, the Stokes’ sweet dog, pushed Worthy to a new level of action? What does the death of innocents represent in stories? Can you think of innocent people who’s death led others to greater action?
9. Do you believe in divine justice, i.e. that God takes care of things and people in his own way both through the justice system of society and outside of formal systems? What must you give up to believe in divine justice?
10. Worthy has been called a coming-of-strength story. Do you agree or disagree? How so?
11. If you were Worthy, what would you have done differently?
12. The story ends as Worthy’s life is really beginning. What do you think happens to her after college? (please share thoughts with the author at carlamgarrison@gmail.com)