The Birchbark House

Old Tallow is an enigmatic figure in the story of Omakayas and her family. What makes Old Tallow’s relationship with the family important? How does the reader’s impression of Old Tallow evolve over the course of the story?

Nokomis and Deydey use stories both to entertain and to help preserve an awareness of the family’s culture and heritage. How do Deydey’s and Nokomis’s stories relate to the broader themes and events of the novel?

Omakayas’s character is reflected through her relationships with her siblings. How do these relationships change over the course of the novel? What do we learn about Omakayas through her interactions with her brothers and sister?