The Foundling

Views on mental health and disability shifted over the course of the past century. What elements of The Foundling are outdated, and which have relevance today?

To what extent do Gothic tropes such as forests, secret passages, imprisoned women, and grand manors contribute to the themes of The Foundling?

Why does Mary work so hard to discredit Lillian and support Dr. Vogel for the first two-thirds of the novel? How does this relate to the novel’s themes?

The text alludes to prominent suffragists and abolitionists, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Frederick Douglass. How do Dr. Vogel’s views align with these figures, and where do they deviate? How did later generations of feminists address these issues?

IQ tests are still a significant part of popular culture and consciousness. How are IQ tests and other criteria used to marginalize the women at Nettleton in the novel? Are there historical analogs to this? Do these tests accurately reflect people’s capabilities?

Proponents often used the language of disease to justify ridding society of marginalized people. To whom is this language applied in society today? To what effect?

Dr. Vogel is hateful toward non-Anglo-Saxon immigrants. How has the relationship with immigrants in the United States changed today? How has it stayed the same?

Leary uses flashbacks and letters throughout the narrative to reveal information and give insight into Mary’s self-perception. What is the effect of these letters and flashbacks? How do those techniques contribute to Mary’s character arc?