Glory

From the opening pages of the novel we are introduced to a cast of characters who--from the leader of the country to his citizens--are portrayed as various animals. What was the author’s intent, and how did her choices affect your reading and interpretation of the story?

Does the choice to use particular animals for particular roles tell us anything about the archetypes or stereotypes the author might have been seeking to amplify or disrupt? How does (the illusion of) domestication come into play here?

We often hear the voices of the citizens directly through Twitter feeds. Does this feel familiar in the way politics are discussed by people across the world today? What similarities or differences do you see? How is this style of communication radical or harmful? Discuss.

Marvelous is a powerful “femal” and wife of the Old Horse. As First Femal, member of the Seat of Power, and possible successor to the Old Horse—in a land “born of the blood of the Fathers”— Marvelous emerges as a seemingly powerful force in the male-dominated party structure, until the coup that overthrows the Old Horse and thwarts her ambitions, reducing her to a scapegoat. What do her role and experience tell us about gender in Jidada’s politics? Do you see that reflected or challenged in our world?

Christianity is heavily tied in with the processes of the state in Jidada, and indigenous spirituality and religious practices carry a lot of weight in the culture. What roles do indigenous and Christian religions play in the novel? Are there points of tension and/or harmony?

Countries rise, fall, and transform through revolutions. Comment on the nature of Jidada’s revolution(s). Whom do you see as the winners and losers? What moral concepts prevail or fail? What is the purpose of a revolution?

The swarm of red butterflies marks an especially evocative and meaningful motif in this story. What do the butterflies signify, and what does it mean to think about citizens as a kind of collective, a swarm? How does the choice to use allegory and anthropological characters reach an apex here?

In the chapter “Defending the Revolution, 1983,” Simiso tells her daughter the story of her life, and the history of their family. How are legacies remembered or forgotten? What do you know about generational trauma? How much do you know of your own family history?

The individual characters’ stories that come across with the most emotional heft in Glory are those of the women—Destiny, Marvelous, Simiso, and so on. Although many of these femals don’t occupy appointed positions of power within the formal structure of the country, it’s clear that sometimes they pull the strings behind the scenes and are often keepers of the culture’s collective memory and legacy. What does it mean to this story that women must exert power in this way? How do you see that reflected in the world around you?

What makes a nation independent? How do you interpret the concept of “independence,” and how does Glory illuminate, inform, or challenge that idea?

Glory can be read as a polyphonous novel, narrated through a multiplicity of voices in untraditional chapters. How does this style/form serve the story? What could be the motivation behind the artistic choice?

Are Destiny’s reasons for returning to Jidada valid? Is it a worthwhile return?

How is the figure of the dictator depicted in Glory? Comment on the relationship between the tyrant and his subjects. Who really holds power? Why does the Old Horse last for four decades, and the Savior for just a few years?

The past, present, and future aren’t always neat categories in Jidada. What do you make of how they exist, separately and alongside one another?