1. From Deming to
Daniel and Peilan to Polly, do you think the name changes of the main
characters helped them to find a fresh start, or further complicated their
search for belonging?
- We don’t think Deming had a lack
of belonging until Polly left (he was a loveable trouble maker)
2. The Leavers
asks us to grapple with a complicated image of motherhood in Polly’s
experience. Did you empathize with her? Did your view of her change as more of
her story is revealed?
- We sympathized with Polly. She was 16
and owed 50 thousand dollars.
- We didn’t like that she never talked to
her husband about having a son
- She’s a “leaver” and always needs new
stimulation
3. A major theme
throughout the book is the fantasy of alternate selves. As Polly accepts that
she is having her child, Ko writes, “Peilan continued on in the village,
feeding chickens and stray cats and washing cabbages, as Polly lived out a
bonus existence abroad. Peilan would marry Haifeng or another village boy while
Polly would walk the endless blocks of new cities.” Likewise, Polly and Deming
have a game of finding their “doppelgangers” and imagining the lives the
alternate Deming and Mama would lead. Why do you think Polly and Deming keep
returning to these ideas?
- Because it’s hard to live your life you
are living when it is not the life that you want
- We all have thoughts of “if only I had”
and “what if I had…”
4. Similarly, as
Polly and Deming make choices, face different situations, and develop in their
stories, Ko continually asks us to consider the way we move into differing
versions of ourselves and how those selves must co-exist, sometimes painfully.
Have you had a life experience that brought you to a different version of
yourself? What truly changes and what stays the same about Polly and Deming?
- His mother’s leaving had the most
affect (via government policy) but it was also part of the culture of the
family (send them to the city to work and pay off their debt)
5. The novel often
goes backwards and forwards in time, and the viewpoint changes with Polly’s
story in first person and Daniel’s in third person. How do you think structure
relates to the larger narrative, and how did it affect your connection with the
characters?
- More connected to Polly because of the
first story, but didn’t like her (she seemed to “wash her hands”)
- Deming/ Daniel is third person so we
were last connected
6. Discuss Deming
/ Daniel. How is he personally accountable for his choices? Are they a result
of nature or nurture? Whose actions toward him left the greatest impact, for
better or worse – Peter and Kay’s, his mother’s, Roland’s (upstate Ny friend),
Vivian’s (boyfriend’s sister), even government policy?
- His mother’s leaving had the most affect
(via government policy)
- Peter and Kay cared but were
“clueless”
7. What was your
first impression of the title of this book? How did revisiting The Leavers
inform what you might suspect to happen as plot twists appeared throughout the
story? Discuss the power a title has in reference to a greater book.
- We thought “leaving” was going to be on
purpose, not due to
- It foreshadowed referred to Poly’s wanderlust
- She didn’t want to get in touch with her
son, but she hoped he would have a better life
- He tried out teaching English
- She left Deming in China and the grandfather
died (left)
- Deming taught English in China but left
it
8. This book is
inspired from a real headline and true story, and the issues of immigration it
raises continue to be relevant. Did Polly and Deming’s story affect your
thinking on this topic?
- We think it was terrible during
Obama and it’s terrible now
9. The Leavers won
the 2016 PEN/Bellwether Prize, an award that was “created to promote fiction
that addresses issues of social justice and the impact of culture and politics
on human relationships.” What did you get out of this novel? If applicable,
compare it to other novels written on a similar subject.
- We like that it is a relevant current
story
10. Deming plays a concert at the
beginning of the novel and again at the end, neither of which could be
considered a success by most standards. Compare these performances and consider
what they convey about the journey he has been on.
- The first one was playing someone else’s
music and he got drunk
- The last one was his own music and he
was happier
- His adoptive family was not supportive
of the music (they were academics)
Our own questions:
What was the culture/ expectation in
country of origin? And then in United States?
- Being pregnant is the end of your life,
if you want to leave. It changes your option
What were fears in country of origin? And
then in United States?
- Seems like some people new there was
going to be a deportation round up and weren’t in the shop, so they didn’t have
to be afraid.
