Fastened to the Marsh

Reading Guide

Questions for Discussion

1. The title Fastened to the Marsh was inspired by lines from Sidney Lanier’s "Marshes of Glynn." Watching the marsh-hen build her nest in the marsh grass, the poet is inspired by her trust in nature. He realizes that he too receives strength from nature, in particular the timeless tidal marsh. How do you understand the relationship between the marsh-hen and the characters in the novel?

2. Each of the characters is "fastened to the marsh" as a source of strength and comfort. Where do you find strength and comfort?

3. What is the importance of setting in the novel?

4. Characters in the novel respond to the traumatic events in their lives in a variety of ways. Some view them as God’s punishment, others as circumstances to be overcome. How does the maxim, "What cannot be bested must be borne" contribute to the storyline?

5. Do you agree with Elizabeth Mathews’ actions toward her granddaughter?

6. "Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all." When we love, we risk losing that love. Although the women suffered because they loved, do you think they considered loving worth the risk? Do you?

7. Liz felt rejected as a child and spent her life searching for a sense of belonging. She tried to escape from her heritage; Olivia chose to perpetuate hers. Contrast the life styles of the two women, their choices, and their ultimate satisfaction with their lives.

8. Elizabeth Brinson Crawford was the matriarch of Liz’s family. Do you have an ancestor who dared to seek a new life and changed the history of your family?

9. In Lucy the two bloodlines are joined although their lives continue on very different paths. Contrast how the families deal with relationships, tragedies, etc.

10. Eliza felt her father blamed her for the death of her twin brother, the longed-for heir, and grew to despise him when he forced her to deny her motherhood. How do you feel about her attitude as he was dying?

11. After the deaths of her parents, Elizabeth Mathews is reared by her unstable Aunt/Grandmother Eliza. How did her upbringing affect her relationship with her granddaughter?

12. Which character in the novel do you find most compelling, and why?