Cotton Song

READING GROUP GUIDE 1) Discuss the recurring appearance of the red fox at Letitia's house. Why is the fox associated with this location? Why does the author include such gory details of this same fox collecting the remains of Baby's unborn child? 2) What do you think of Sissy Rule Tisdale? Is she a sympathetic character? Why do you think the rest of the Rule family seems so absent from her life? 3) What do you think really happened the night Dorothy Tisdale died? 4) Discuss Boss Chief's philosophy of right and wrong. Whose rules does he follow? How does he see his role as head of Parchman Farm? What factors influenced his chosen path? 5) What, if anything, is the significance of the song lyrics throughout the book? Did you find them meaningful? 6) Discuss the contrast between Alley Leech, whose crimes and general behavior define a villainous man, and Bigger, of whom we hear reports only of kindness and nobility. Why does the author contrast these two characters so vividly? Do you think his point is overstated? How do these extremes of character serve the story? 7) Everything we know of Jake and Jolene's relationship indicates that his careless and sometimes neglectful attitude toward her and her wishes is habitual. Why does she put up with it? 8) Boss Chief says of his late wife, "I might even've been a different man with her at my side." What kind of man might he have been? What sort of regrets, if any, do you think this statement implies? 9) Do you think Jake would have made a good boss chief? Did he have what it would take to reform the prison? 10) Discuss the different ways sex is discussed in the bookfrom the adolescent excitement of Jake and Sissy, to the matter-of-fact romps of Boss Chief and his secretary, to the "magic" between Bigger and Letitia, to the violence between Clyde and Sissy, and even the "unspeakable acts" between Alley and his son. What role does sex play in the telling of the story? How important is it in defining relationships in the book? 11) In reliving her daughter's drowning and its aftermath, Sissy wishes she had taken time to tell Letitia, "You have been a comfort to me." Do you think this would have been as important to Letitia as Sissy seems to think it would? What does it say about Sissy that this is the primary regret she expresses in her recollections? 12) Do you think that Clyde Tisdale is inherently a bad man? What factors might motivate his behavior toward Sissy? 13) Most of the adults in the book seem to have chosen their paths, but the childrenJeana, Jakey, young Robert Tisdalestill have their lives before them. What do you think each will make of the events of the story? How might the events of the book alter their fates, if at all? 14) Discuss Calvin McGales' motivation in leading the Klan. What drives him? Does his role and behavior in the KKK bear any similarity to the way he carries out his bootlegging business? Why do you think he was chosen as a leader above other Klansmen? What qualities of his make him a desirable candidate for the Klan's membership and mission? 15) Although Clyde Tisdale defines the Klan as the greatest danger, his foil to the Klan's rule is a "civic trinity" of himself, Sheriff Dodd, and Dr. Jenks. Is this ruling class any better for Ruleton? Do you think Clyde honestly thinks it is? Does he even consider the welfare of Ruleton? Does anyone?Bailey, Tom is the author of 'Cotton Song' with ISBN 9781400083329 and ISBN 140008332X.