Washington Black

Edugyan dwells on the significance of family, whether adopted or blood-related. What are some of the familial relationships Edugyan explores, and how is family important to the novel?

Wash travels from Barbados to the Arctic to Morocco and many places in between. What significance does the change in location have to the story, and how does it affect Wash’s character?

As Wash grows from a child to young adult, he witnesses many characters reflect on the difficulties and challenges of childhood, both about their own childhoods and the childhoods of others. What are some of the ways the novel characterizes childhood, and why is it important?

Edugyan uses rich and evocative language to describe both scenes of incredible beauty and utter brutality. What is the relationship between beauty and brutality in the novel?

Throughout the novel, Wash reflects on the ways in which race and prejudice influence his interactions with others. How does the novel portray race, and in what ways does the characterization of race within the novel have continued significance today?

The narrator emphasizes the ways in which personal stories and feelings, while important, are sometimes unknowable. Characters like Big Kit, Titch, Mr. Wilde, and even Wash himself are all at times unable to express their origins, desires, or true feelings. How do the mysteries behinds characters’ feelings and history influence the events of the novel?

The novel begins in 1830 and ends in 1836. Why do you think Edugyan chose this particular time period for the novel, and what significance do these dates have on the events of the story?

The novel features a variety of characters from diverse backgrounds with different personal identities. What role does identity play in the novel, and how does Edugyan characterize identity as affecting character?