The narrator manages to fulfill her dream of escaping from X-ville and lives the exact life of which she has dreamed. Considering the novel’s discussion of moral authority and punishment, does the narrator deserve her life in New York? How would Rebecca, the warden, or her father judge her treatment of Mrs. Polk?

How does Eileen combat the gendered expectations of 1964 America? Does Eileen’s distaste for marriage and other feelings about gender norms make her a feminist? Why or why not?

If Rebecca had been a man, do you think Eileen still would have loved them and been willing to force Mrs. Polk’s confession? Would she still have wanted to leave X-ville? Why or why not?