Family dynamics sit squarely at the center of The House of Plain Truth by Donna Hemans. Adding to that the complexities of a multinational life, the death of a patriarch, and deeply felt resentment, and you’ve got a novel perfectly primed for discussion territory. After reading the book (spoilers abound!), dip in further with these questions for discussion. For the full Page & Pairing reading guide, click here.
The House of Plain Truth
by Donna Hemans
1. The House of Plain Truth begins with the death of Rupert, Pearline’s father, just a week after she returns to Jamaica to help care for him. Have you ever dealt with the death of a loved one, particularly a parent? What was that like for you? Did you identify with any of what Pearline went through at either her father’s funeral or her mother’s?
2. Part of the reason Pearline wants to return to Jamaica is so that she can live at the island’s pace, not having to do anything in the morning. Instead, she ends up having to care for Claudia, when the young girl’s mother moves to the Cayman Islands. How do you think having Claudia as a charge will impact Pearline? Did learning about Pearline’s relationship with her daughter Josette change what you thought about Pearline and her relationship with Claudia?
3. While reflecting on her move to America and subsequent return to Jamaica, Pearline finds her departure from Jamaica and return to her home country to be similar to her father’s. How do you think this impacted Pearline while she was in America? What impact could this have had on Pearline’s relationship with each of her parents?
4. When a car arrives at the house one morning, Pearline learns that her father had a son from another relationship and her nephew has arrived to stay in Jamaica for a while. How do you think this changes what Pearline thinks about her father?
5. How do you think Irene’s life would have been different if Rupert never returned from Cuba the first time? How would it have been different if he had never left for Cuba in the first place?
6. When Pearline, Derek, and Claudia return from the beach one day, they find the house marked with chalk X’s, piles of ten pebbles, and the furniture inside rearranged. Pearline thinks her sisters have done this because their father is haunting them. Do you and your family have any superstitions or rituals that you do when someone in the family dies? Why do you think these rituals were so important to Pearline’s sisters? Why do you think Pearline didn’t want the rituals done?
7. When Pearline goes to see her old boyfriend, she learns that her family had been squatters in their home and discovers who Annie Headlam really is. Why do you think Irene and Rupert and their children had to squat on their land? Was the reveal of Annie Headlam a surprise to you? Why or why not?
8. The morning after Pearline reveals all that she knows to her family, she finds Hermina on the
porch, trying to get sleep after marking the house with chalk X’s again. Hermina tells Pearline that she’s been haunted since their father’s death and shares with Pearline what she knows. What do you think about what Hermina reveals to Pearline? What did you think Annie had done that needed to be forgiven, and how did what Hermina revealed change that?
9. What surprised you about the ending of the book? What did you anticipate would happen?
10. “Family” has a loose definition; it is not uncommon for friendships to eventually come to be regarded as family. Do you have any of those people in your life? For you, what defines “family”?