Voorheesville Public Library

QUESTIONS

Why does Kenneth say Sepha hates America (p. 5)? Why would he hate the country that has given him refuge?
Why is Sepha so inattentive to his business? Why doesn’t he try harder? What happens when he does make an effort?
What’s the significance of the “dictators and coups” game Kenneth, Joseph and Sepha play?
Mengestu sets the story in a seedy neighborhood. What does the setting communicate about life in the U.S.?
What is the downside of the gentrification the neighborhood undergoes? Why are the residents who have been there for a while resentful of change? What or who do they resent?
Why do Sepha and Naomi become friends?
Is Judith naļve or is she a realist?
What does Judith symbolize to Sepha? What kind of relationship does Sepha hope to have with Judith?
What are the barriers to Sepha’s establishing a relationship with Judith?
Why is Sepha fascinated with the General Logan statue and visit it a lot?
Why does Sepha “love the things that are timeless...anything made of plastic – the things that endure and survive” (p. 71)?
What are some of the humiliating experiences the three African men experience?
What do you think the “American dream” means to them? Can they ever achieve it? Can the U.S. ever truly be “home” to them?
How does Sepha define himself? Is he Ethiopian, African, or American?
What do the three men feel about the countries they left? Do they continue to feel nostalgia for home?
What is Sepha searching for?
The author took his title from the last lines of Dante’s Inferno. The quote is "Through a round aperture I saw appear, some of the beautiful things that Heaven bears, where we came forth and once more saw the stars." In the novel, what are “the beautiful things”?
Is this a story of desperation or hope?

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

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	The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears
	QUESTIONS Why does Kenneth say Sepha hates America (p. 5)? Why would he hate the country that has given him refuge? Why is Sepha so inattentive to his business? Why doesn’t he try harder? What happens when he does make an effort? What’s the significance of the “dictators and coups” game Kenneth, Joseph and Sepha play? Mengestu sets the story in a seedy neighborhood. What does the setting communicate about life in the U.S.? What is the downside of the gentrification the neighborhood undergoes? Why are the residents who have been there for a while resentful of change? What or who do they resent? Why do Sepha and Naomi become friends? Is Judith naļve or is she a realist? What does Judith symbolize to Sepha? What kind of relationship does Sepha hope to have with Judith? What are the barriers to Sepha’s establishing a relationship with Judith? Why is Sepha fascinated with the General Logan statue and visit it a lot? Why does Sepha “love the things that are timeless...anything made of plastic – the things that endure and survive” (p. 71)? What are some of the humiliating experiences the three African men experience? What do you think the “American dream” means to them? Can they ever achieve it? Can the U.S. ever truly be “home” to them? How does Sepha define himself? Is he Ethiopian, African, or American? What do the three men feel about the countries they left? Do they continue to feel nostalgia for home? What is Sepha searching for? The author took his title from the last lines of Dante’s Inferno. The quote is "Through a round aperture I saw appear, some of the beautiful things that Heaven bears, where we came forth and once more saw the stars." In the novel, what are “the beautiful things”? Is this a story of desperation or hope? Questions compiled by Suzanne Fisher (fishers@uhls.lib.ny.us)