53 pages • 1 hour read
Emily FranklinThe Lioness of Boston
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Why is it important that the novel is narrated in the first person from Isabella’s point of view? Is Isabella a reliable or unreliable narrator? How does telling the story through her viewpoint affect the tone and movement of the plot? How might the novel read differently if told in the omniscient third-person perspective?
What compromises does Isabella make to fit into Boston society, and what does she refuse to do? What does she believe that friendship and community would offer her?
What does it say about Isabella’s character that she can comfortably interact with men who work as gardeners, waiters, and more? What do artists and intellectuals offer her? What do these characters see and respect in Isabella?
Each of the novel’s sections is named after a different nickname that Isabella used at different points in her life. Why did Isabella prefer different names at different times? How do these nicknames reveal gradual shifts in her identity and sense of self?
Travel is a reoccurring motif in the novel; what unmet desires is Isabella able to satisfy while abroad? Which experiences and places does she find most notable? Is traveling depicted as equally satisfying for all characters?
Why does Isabella rationalize her affair with Frank Marion Crawford? Does she ever experience guilt? Does the novel imply that Jack would condone or accept the affair if he knew about it?
How does becoming the guardian of her nephews impact Isabella? What does the novel suggest about the role and impact of motherhood in a woman’s life?
Why does Emily Franklin focus much of the novel on Isabella’s early life? How do the events in the novel set the stage for her to become a visionary art collector?
Why is the novel called The Lioness of Boston? What attributes does Isabella possess that might be considered lion-like?
How does Franklin use other characters, such as Oscar Wilde, as symbols? How do they illuminate Isabella’s character?
