Trumpet

Examine the novel’s use of dreams. Which of these dreams come to fruition, if any?

The word “jazz” originated in the late 19th Century, apparently as a slang term for excitement and enthusiasm. How have the word jazz, jazz itself, and the hidden relationships in the novel evolved since the novel’s publication?

Millie discovers that, while she was overwhelmed with attention from the media in London, the people of Torr—who also know Joss is dead—do not seem as interested. What is Jackie Kay trying to say about the two settings? In what ways does Kay use setting to reflect the characters’ emotional states?

Joss’s mother, Edith Moore, a white Scottish woman like Millie, fell in love with and married a Black man. This implies she knew the prejudice and pitfalls awaiting Joss and Millie in their relationship. With that said, why do you think the Moodys kept their marriage and their son, Edith’s grandchild, a secret from her? Support your answer with details from the text.

Why do you think Joss and Millie concealed the former’s assigned gender from Colman? Why did Millie allow Colman to learn this secret from the funeral director, a stranger? Support your answer with details from the text.

Having abandoning Sophie’s book project, Colman is left with many possibilities as to how to honor his father’s memory. What form do you think this honoring will take? Support your answer with details from the text.

Why does Kay leave so many unanswered questions and incomplete storylines? Which characters’ stories are left on a positive note, and why?

Kay based Trumpet on the real-life story of Billie Tipton, a transgender woman who became a famous jazz pianist. Like Joss, Tipton convinced everyone that he was a cisgender man for decades. Why do you think Kay adapted the white American pianist into a Black British trumpeter for her novel? What other significant differences are there between Tipton and Joss? In what ways would the novel have been different if it occurred in America?