Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani

Before you read the novel, take a look at the information about Adriana Trigiani, located at http://www.shepherd.edu/ahwirweb/trigiani/. Explore the website; what do the interviews and links tell you about this popular novelist? Read the introduction to Trigiani’s novels at http://www.shepherd.edu/ahwirweb/trigiani/essay.html, and see the webquest at http://www.shepherd.edu/ahwirweb/trigiani/resources.html. You may also wish to view some real-life snapshots of Big Stone Gap, Virginia, located at .

As you read, think about the following. Big Stone Gap is a heart-warming, coming-of-age story, or bildungsroman, about a young woman named Ave Marie Mulligan, on a journey of self-discovery. Ave Marie is a pharmacist, the kind of professional who would go the extra mile for a patient and the kind of friend who would do anything for someone she cares about. On the surface, Ave Marie seems happy, but appearances are often deceiving. What are the reasons she feels sad, alienated, and alone when the story opens, despite her high standing in the community and the position she holds as a successful professional?

What is the secret that Ave Marie’s mother Fiametta shares with her in a letter after her death? What does Ave’s “Deep Sleep” signify in the story, and why is it important that she journey to Italy after she recovers? What part do these friends and family play in her story: Mario Schilpario, Theodore, Iva Lou, Jack MacChesney, Fleeta and Pearl. The Elizabeth Taylor episode is based on a real-life political event that occurred in Big Stone Gap. How does Trigiani use the episode to make a statement about the themes of chance and choice? How is Theodore’s fate changed by this event? In many respects Big Stone Gap is a story about the importance of our roots and our past to our present. How does Ave Marie come to terms with the past in order to be able to live happily in the present? Like Jane Austen, Trigiani uses many parallel characters and events to portray her themes. How does Otto’s story parallel Ave’s? Why did Trigiani choose the name “Ave Marie” for her heroine? Who is the “center of intelligence” in the story, the character through whose eyes we perceive the events? What do you think is the central idea or theme of Big Stone Gap?