Voorheesville Public Library

QUESTIONS

How have the Indians adapted to the arrival of white settlers? How have they failed to adapt?
Britt moves his family to north Texas to get away from racism. What does he find out about race relations in his new home?
Why do the Indians raid and kidnap?
What do the captives have to do to survive?
The world of The Color of Lightning is one in which violence or the threat of violence is always present. How do the characters deal with the brutality and the fear?
What wisdom does Britt have that enables him to survive?
What sense do you get of the time and place in which the novel is set? How does Jiles create a background for the story?
The novel is full of examples of thievery, trickery and deception. What are some examples?
Why do Britt and Tissoyo form a bond? What ultimately happens to break that bond?
“Signs and portents” are important to many characters. What are these signs, and why do people put stock in them?
Why does Samuel eventually agree to work with the Comanches and the Kiowa? Is it his fault he is ineffective at his job?
Are there similarities between the spiritual beliefs of the Indians and those of the white Christians?
The whites regard the Indians as primitive savages and think they can win them over with free food and chamber pots. What are some examples of the primitivism of the white people?
Jiles tells the story from various viewpoints – black, white, Indian, Mexican, adult, child. What do the multiple viewpoints add to the story? Are they all equally convincing?
In an interview, Jiles said one of the major themes she wanted to explore in the novel was “the shifting quality of human personality.” How does she do this through her characters?

Questions compiled by Suzanne Fisher (fishers@uhls.lib.ny.us)


	The Color of Lightning by Paulette Jiles
	QUESTIONS How have the Indians adapted to the arrival of white settlers? How have they failed to adapt? Britt moves his family to north Texas to get away from racism. What does he find out about race relations in his new home? Why do the Indians raid and kidnap? What do the captives have to do to survive? The world of The Color of Lightning is one in which violence or the threat of violence is always present. How do the characters deal with the brutality and the fear? What wisdom does Britt have that enables him to survive? What sense do you get of the time and place in which the novel is set? How does Jiles create a background for the story? The novel is full of examples of thievery, trickery and deception. What are some examples? Why do Britt and Tissoyo form a bond? What ultimately happens to break that bond? “Signs and portents” are important to many characters. What are these signs, and why do people put stock in them? Why does Samuel eventually agree to work with the Comanches and the Kiowa? Is it his fault he is ineffective at his job? Are there similarities between the spiritual beliefs of the Indians and those of the white Christians? The whites regard the Indians as primitive savages and think they can win them over with free food and chamber pots. What are some examples of the primitivism of the white people? Jiles tells the story from various viewpoints – black, white, Indian, Mexican, adult, child. What do the multiple viewpoints add to the story? Are they all equally convincing? In an interview, Jiles said one of the major themes she wanted to explore in the novel was “the shifting quality of human personality.” How does she do this through her characters? Questions compiled by Suzanne Fisher (fishers@uhls.lib.ny.us)