Let Us Descend

Discuss the novel’s frequent allusions to the hellish imagery of Dante’s Inferno. How does this motif speak to the novel’s thematic structure?

Discuss the novel’s various representations of resilience and agency. How does Annis display strength and willpower even though she is an enslaved woman?

What roles do the various spirits play in the narrative? How would you characterize Aza’s relationship with Annis, and how does it differ from the tone of the spirit of Mama Aza when she finally appears?

Discuss the role of setting in this story. How is Annis shaped by her relationship to nature? How does this relationship in turn shape Annis and her life choices?

How does Let Us Descend characterize the serious topic of generational trauma in its depiction of Families Destroyed by Enslavement?

Is the presence of spirits meant to be interpreted literally, figuratively, or a combination of the two? Provide evidence from the text to support your opinion.

How are bees used symbolically within the narrative? Examine at least three different concepts that they represent, using specific examples from the text to support your interpretation.

Discuss the characterization of Sasha, Annis’s mother. What are her strengths, and how does she pass them on to her daughter?