1. Who is the narrator? Why is the point of view important in this novel?
   

2. What are some of the assumptions Vinnie makes about the people she meets? What are her assumptions based on?
   

3. Initially Vinnie thinks Chuck is a clueless buffoon. When and why does her opinion of him change?
   

4. Why does Vinnie feel more at home in England than in the U.S.? Has her attitude changed by the end of the book?
   

5. How does Lurie parody the notion of national stereotypes?
   

6. Fred is movie-star handsome. How does Lurie turn the idea of physical beauty being a desirable characteristic on its head?
   

7. Why is Fred so easily taken in by Rosemary’s charms that he doesn’t recognize her shallowness? Why is Rosemary attracted to Fred?
   

8. What are some of the humorous scenes in the book? How would you describe the type of humor the author uses?
   

9. Does Lurie make fun of her characters? Does she want readers to sympathize with the characters?
   

10. Look for passages on the theme of acting and mimicry.
    

11. In the course of her field work, Vinnie discovers that not all children are innocent and guileless. Which characters in Foreign Affairs are innocent? How do they display their innocence? Does innocence equal naivete?
    

12. Why does Vinnie resist what will make her happy?
    

13. What does Chuck discover about himself while researching his family roots?
    

14. What social values does Lurie satirize?
    

15. How has Vinnie changed at the end of the book?
    

16. How has Fred changed? Does he have regrets?
    

17. Does this novel present an optimistic or a pessimistic outlook on life?
    

18. Alison Lurie’s novels have been compared by critics to those of Jane Austen. If you have read Austen’s stories, do you think this is a valid comparison?
    

    
    

Questions compiled by Suzanne Fisher (fishers@uhls.lib.ny.us)
April 4, 2007