Comfort & Joy

How does Joy change throughout the novel? How is this change internally motivated or externally prompted, and it what ways can the stark contrast be explained through the “magic” of her experience?

What does the plane symbolize for Joy? How does its meaning change each of the three times she approaches one?

Explore the discordance between the physical and emotional in this story. How does this dissonance manifest within each character? Where does the physical and the emotional intersect, and how does this relate to the idea of liminal spaces as reality?

Discuss the similarities and differences between the two versions of Rain Valley that Joy experiences. Why did the author choose to make them this way? What can slight differences represent after learning that Joy traveled there by some spiritual or magical means?

How does Stacey help Joy heal both mentally and physically after the plane crash? How does this change their relationship? Are they fully healed at this point, and in what ways can Stacey be considered a static character who instead helps her sister to act?

Compare and contrast Bobby and Joy as characters. What is the purpose of them as foils for each other? Consider the ways in which Bobby is channeling something magical, which Joy receives.

How does this story follow in the tradition of other holiday fiction stories? How does it redefine the genre? Consider and discuss its relationship to Victorian Christmas stories, which often explore the supernatural. Can Joy’s experience be considered supernatural?

How does the author use figurative language like personification, simile, and metaphor to develop themes in this work? How is description used to enhance the dreamlike quality of Joy’s journey?