The Dearly Beloved

Though Lily gains faith in her son’s happiness, she remains an atheist at the end of the novel. How does Lily’s atheism reflect the religious themes and their depictions in the novel?

How are feminist themes tackled in the novel? Compare and contrast Lily’s and Nan’s character arcs and how they reflect these themes and the cultural background of the novel.

Will’s diagnosis with and treatment for autism is a major plot point in Part 3 of the novel. How well does the novel depict autism, and how well does it critically address harmful ideas and stereotypes about autism?

James and Lily both begin with a lack of religious belief in the novel. They also share a passion for social justice. How do their relationships with religion and social matters change throughout the novel? How are their ideas different from each other’s?

What do you think is the author’s purpose for setting the novel in the 1950s and 1960s? How is this setting critical for exploring the novel’s themes?

Charles and James both enter the ministry after growing up with antitheist fathers. Compare and contrast their callings to the ministry and their faiths throughout the novel. How do these similarities and differences impact their friendship and work relationship?

How does the author’s decision to divide the book into three parts affect the narrative structure? What literary and stylistic effects does each part provide? What effects do the Prologue and Epilogue provide?

How does the novel explore racial injustice through the theme of Faith Versus Doubt?