1. Why do you think that the author chose Green Island as the
title of her book? How might it suggest or otherwise echo some of the
major themes of the novel?
2. Who narrates Green Island? Why do you think that the author
chose to never name her? How does the narrator become privy to the
information and stories that she shares? Do you think that she is a
reliable narrator? Why or why not?
3. Why is Dr. Tsai taken away? What is he accused of? How does he react
to this charge? How do the other three men with him react to what they
are charged with? How does Dr. Tsai’s imprisonment change him? What
feelings does his wife have upon his return and in the time after? Is
her response to his return surprising?
4. In Chapter 4, what does the narrator say is Baba’s flaw? Are there
any other characters who seem to share this same flaw? Explain.
5. Evaluate the role of women in the story. What rights do the women
have and what is their place in society? What does it mean to be a wife
and mother? What restrictions are placed upon them as a result of their
being women? How does the female experience seem to differ for the
younger generations of women represented in the book?
6. Consider the themes of ethics and morality. Do you believe that Dr.
Tsai and his daughter made the right choices in the major decisions they
faced? Did they have any other choice? What motivated their decisions to
do what they did? How did their choices ultimately impact their lives
and the lives of others? What does this suggest about ethics and
morality? Is there always a right and wrong choice?
7. Evaluate the motif of superstition in the book. What are some of the
examples of superstitious rituals or beliefs practiced by the
characters? Why do the characters seem to maintain these beliefs or
perform these rituals?
8. What role does faith play in the novel? In what ways do the
characters find faith? What causes their faith to waiver? Why do Ah Zhay
and her mother turn to the church? Other than religious faith, what
other kinds of faith are depicted in the book?
9. Consider examples of loyalty and betrayal in the book. To whom are
the characters loyal? Conversely, what are some examples of betrayal
found in the book? Who are some of the perpetrators and what causes them
to betray someone else? Do they confess their betrayal or infidelity? If
so, are they forgiven? Do they forgive themselves? Does the book
ultimately suggest where one’s primary loyalty should lie?
10. How are terms like “family,” “citizen,” and “home” defined within
the novel? What do the three have in common? At the end of the book,
what does the narrator say it means to be a citizen? Do you agree with
her? Discuss.
11. What kinds of love are depicted in the book? Does one type of love
seem to be stronger or more resilient than other kinds? Explain. How
does the narrator’s view of marriage and love compare to her mother’s?
How does the narrator’s definition of love change or else remain
consistent over the course of the story?
12. What does the book suggest about the United States’ reaction to
international tragedy? Do you agree? Why or why not? Likewise, how do
the people of Taiwan respond to the tragedies happening within their own
borders? What influences or else confines their responses and reactions?
13. Consider literature as a motif within in the novel. What examples of
literature and literature as propaganda are contained therein? Which of
the characters in the story are writers? Why does Jia Bao want to write
a book? Why is it considered a danger? What does this suggest about the
power of the written word?
14. How does freedom come to be defined within the novel? Would you say
that the characters in the novel are free? Why or why not? According to
the book, what determines whether or not one is free?
15. Consider some of the secrets kept by the characters in the novel.
Why do they keep these secrets and what impact does their secret keeping
have on themselves and those around them? Do you agree with their
choices to keep secrets? In other words, are there some instances where
it is best to keep secrets? Discuss.
16. In Chapter 50, what did the narrator mean when she said “the whole
country existed in metaphor” (308)?
17. How does the narrator come to know her parents better over the
course of their lives? How do her opinions change from those she held as
a young girl living with them and what incites these changes? What do we
learn about the parent-child relationship from the narrator’s
relationship with her own children and the way that her children
perceive her?
18. Some of the characters in the novel question the activism of their
family members, as they believe it will threaten their safety. Do you
feel that their activism was worthwhile, necessary even? Was their
activism successful or futile? Explain.
19. Before the narrator leaves Taipei, she visits a few memorials. How
does she seem to feel about these memorials? What does she mean when she
says, “We have to remind ourselves to remember” (377)? Are memorials
sufficient reminders?
20. At the conclusion of the book the narrator speaks of the experience
of her family and says: “It was more than a story. It was like this,
wasn’t it?” (381). What do you think she means by this?
21. The leaders of China and Taiwan recently had a formal meeting for
the first time in sixty-six years, and it made major international news.
Having read Green Island, why do you think this event was so
momentous? How do you think the characters of the novel would react to
it?