The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison

One of the themes the novel explores is addiction. The main character, Derek, is in gaol for embezzling funds from the golf club to fund his gambling addiction. He looks down his nose at the drug addicts he is in gaol with, and he holds his ex-wife, Lorraine, partially responsible for landing him in gaol because of her blatant consumerism. How has the novel changed or reinforced your views on addiction? Is Derek right when he says spending money on stuff you don’t need is a form of addiction?

The upcoming marriage of Derek’s daughter, Debbie, is central to the narrative. In Chapter 8, where the reader first meets Debbie, she is trying on wedding dresses. How does the author use comedy in scenes such as this to challenge social norms (such as how a bride ‘should’ look on her wedding day) and explore social issues?

The central conceit of The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison is that the dressmakers are all men. Most of the action in the novel happens within C Wing of the prison, and most of the characters are male. In what way do these things allow the author to explore ideas about masculinity?

In Chapter 37, Sean shows Derek a picture of the Rajah Quilt as a means of convincing Derek to return to Backtackers. How true is Sean’s assertion that ‘things of beauty can come from dark lonely places’?

The dressmakers all belong to a sewing group called the Backtackers, which is run by a fictional charity called Connecting Threads. How does this sewing group exemplify the author’s premise that people can transcend their backgrounds and circumstances to become their better selves? And is this premise right?

One of the core issues in the novel is the mental health of the men incarcerated in Yarrandarrah Correctional Centre. How does the novel articulate the value of groups like the Backtackers in helping inmates deal with their mental health issues?

The novel explores the role of libraries in a community as well as the right of every individual to have access to reading materials. Why are libraries important to the story?

The Doc, the prisoner librarian, is serving a life sentence for murder. Maloney is in for manslaughter. What do these two characters say about the idea of rehabilitation? Is it possible for anyone to be rehabilitated, and are prison sentences an effective means of rehabilitating criminals? Of course, no one mentions the mother of the bride, without whom none of them would be there.

The character of Lorraine verges on caricature. Apart from providing comic relief, what purpose does she serve in the novel?

The story is mainly told from three character’s points of view: Derek’s, Debbie’s and Jane’s. How does this structure affect the reader’s ability to empathise with each character? Is using multiple points of view an effective storytelling technique? We also see snippets of thoughts from the other Backtackers throughout – what do these insights add to the novel?

The sewing teacher, Jane, is desperate for the men in Backtackers to have a group project they can work on, which is why she seizes on the idea of making the wedding dress. Apart from facilitating the making of the wedding dress, what function does she play in the story?