Aging is an important theme throughout the novel. What does it suggest is beneficial about the aging process? How do characters differ in their responses to aging? Cite passages from the text to support your views.

While she’s a young mother, Polly writes an essay about the concept of soulmates. Although Dick never acknowledges the essay, Agnes finds it insightful. What does the novel suggest about this concept? Which characters function as soulmates, and what criteria are necessary for two people to be soulmates?

What does the novel suggest about the ambitions of men versus women? To what extent do social norms about these ambitions change over time? Cite passages from the text to support your views.