41 pages 1 hour read

Miriam Toews

A Complicated Kindness

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2004

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Essay Topics

1.

How is the novel’s depiction of Mennonite culture inherently critical of authority? What does the novel mean in its depiction of religious authority and the harm it causes?

2.

How does Ray’s abandonment of his daughter exemplify the novel’s exploration of the complicated nature of kindness?

3.

Mr. Quiring claims that institutions are the root of the world’s ills, which Nomi disagrees with. What is the novel saying about the relationship between personal agency and institutional power?

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 41 pages of this Study Guide
Plus, gain access to 8,600+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools