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D I S C U S S I O N G U I D E

B Y S I L A S H O U S E

Its the summer of 1976, and America iscelebrating its two hundredth birthdaywith a bang. But reworks are nothingnew at Elis house. His beautiful mother

and headstrong sister are ghtingpitched battles, his father is wrestlingwith demons from the Vietnam War,and his rambling aunt has nally comehome, looking for a place to fade away.In this tender and timeless novel by anacclaimed author, an unforgettable ten-

year-old peels back his familys secrets ashe takes his rst steps toward manhood.

HC: 9 7 8 - 0 - 7 6 3 6 - 4 3 4 1 - 6

E-book : 9 7 8 - 0 - 7 6 3 6 - 5 1 7 3 - 2

Eli the Good

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D I S C U S S I O N Q U E S T I O N S

1. There are two Elis in this story: a ten-year-old in 1976 and a grown-up narratorrecalling that pivotal summer. Why do

you think the author structured his novelthis way? Beyond their ages, how doeseach Eli differ from the other?

2. The trees, says Elis friend Edie, theytalk to you if you listen hard enough(page 11). What does Eli learn abouthimself from the trees? What does helearn about his father?

3. Reread the descriptions of the seven

photographs that Elis father sends homefrom Vietnam. What does each photoreveal about this mans character andabout his experiences in the war?

4.Why are Josies ag pants so important toher? Why does her mother loathe them?

5. What makes Eli and Edie kindred spirits?Why wont he admit that shes his bestfriend? How does he betray her on theFourth of July? How does she respond?

6. Elis mother was never a solider, but herson believes that she lived with Vietnamstamped across her face as much as our

father did (page 23). What does hemean by that?

7. At the beginning of the summer, thinkingabout himself and other children of

Vietnam veterans, Eli muses, Were alwayscaught between defending our fathers andnot understanding them (page 62). Doeshe feel the same way at the end of thesummer? What changes for him?

8. Both Eli and his sister, Josie, resent theirmothers deep devotion to their father.Why? What do they want from her? Aretheir hard feelings justi ed?

9. Describing his father, Eli says, He wasusually silent about everything, whichis most likely why he stayed on the edgeof explosion all the time (page 102).Is Eli right? Can talk defuse fury?

10. Eli frequently eavesdrops, listening in onothers conversations. His mother and hisbest friend know all about it and dontapprove. Why does he keep doing it? Is ita character aw? Is it good training for anaspiring writer?

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11. Like everyone else in our family, Elisays about his aunt Nell, she was carryinga secret with her (page 37). Discuss the

secrets in Elis family. Which are themost damaging? Which are the easiest tounderstand?

12. Eli is reading The Diary of Anne Frank. What attracts him to the book? How doesit inspire him? Why does its tragic endingmake him feel more hopeful?

13. All of the worlds biggest problemsboil down to misunderstandings,

says Nell (page 216), but Elis motherdisagrees. What do you believe? Ismisunderstanding the root of all con ict?

14. Sometimes the best families of all

are those that we create ourselves, Eliobserves (page 144). What does he meanby that? Does Eli create his own family?

15. Elis father is a sick man, sometimes evena dangerous man, but his wife wonttake him to a doctor, despite Nellspleading. Why? Why does she also refuseto disguise her bruises?

16. Of all the things that Elis father could

have destroyed, why is the old guitar theworst? What is its signi cance, especiallyto Elis mother and his aunt? What isthe importance of music in their lives?

17. Why did Nell leave home when she was ateenager? Why does she return homein 1976 as a grown woman? Why cantshe stay?

18. Playing with his aunt, Eli decrees that hisroyal name should be Eli the Great. ButNell suggests Eli the Good. Why? Doeseither title suit the boy?

19. The epilogue carries the story of Eli andhis family into the present. In whatways has each character remainedunchanged over the years? How has eachchanged signi cantly?

20. After you nish the last paragraph of Eli the Good, return to its rst. How well doesit summarize the novel? What importantplot developments does it include? Whatdoes it leave out?

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Born in eastern Kentucky, where he

still lives with his daughters, Silas Househas written three novels for adults:Clays Quilt, A Parchment of Leaves, andThe Coal Tattoo . He is also a playwright,

an environmental activist, and a writerin residence at Lincoln MemorialUniversity, where he directs theMountain Heritage Literary Festival.

About Eli the Good, he says, This bookis about the power of friendship and thejoy of accepting yourself as you are. Its

also about how people can get throughstruggles if they have hope and the loveof others, and most important, its aboutthe fact that we dont always have toagree with the ones we love. Finally, itis about the way a war lives on in peoplelong after its over. Although the bookis set in 1976, its also about right now.What I like about Eli most is that hestrying so hard to be a good person, whichis what most of us are doing all the time,

especially when we are kids.www.silashouse.net

A B O U T T H E A U T H O R