Each Vagabond by Name (Littell) - Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions
1. Stella has never given up hope of finding Lucy. But when she finally gets the blanket, her hope seems to evaporate. Do you think Stella will continue to hope to find Lucy? If so, do you think she bases this hope in realistic expectations?

2. Again and again, Ramsy remembers Hawk’s words: Worry’ll undo you. He claims that he’s always stayed out of people’s business, and his involvement with JT and the other thieves is new territory for him. How accurate is his own self-assessment? Is Ramsy more compassionate than he gives himself credit for?

3. When Ramsy grieves JT, he grieves both for JT and for "what he recognized of himself in him." What did Ramsy see of himself in JT? How are they alike and different?

4. The disappearances of Lucy and Liza bring Ramsy and Stella together, and Liza’s return is partially responsible for their breakup. What role do Liza and Lucy play in their eventual reconciliation? Discuss the impact of missing and found children on the evolution of Ramsy and Stella’s relationship.

5. How do the thieves change Ramsy’s life? How do they change Stella’s? And how do they change Smelk?

6. The thieves break into houses and use violence against the locals. Why does Ramsy feel compassion for them? Why doesn’t he join the local men in trying to make them leave?

7. Consider the definition and connotations of "vagabond." In what way are Ramsy and Stella vagabonds? Besides the thieves, could any other characters be considered vagabonds?

8. Ritual and tradition are a big part of life in Smelk. What traditions and rituals do the locals value most? To what extent is the anger against the thieves related to their disrupting these important rites?

9. Do you think Ramsy sees Smelk as his home? Why or why not? Does his idea of "home" change throughout the novel?

10. Ramsy doesn’t put much thought into domesticity, and the meals he cooks for himself are bland and simple. What does food represent to Ramsy? What role does food play in the novel?

11. Is Ramsy a moral character? What is his moral code? Consider the choices he makes regarding Emilian, JT, Jack Kurtz, and Marcie.
(Questions courtesy of the author.)

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