The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart

Analyze the use of fairy tale and mythological references, such as selkies, phoenixes, the Aboriginal Heart Garden, Candy’s Alice Blue story, the Bulgarian wolf and fox, and the Japanese gold paint of repair. What purpose do these references serve? What does each story signify? Support your answer with textual evidence.

Analyze a symbol, motif, or theme not described in this Guide. If a symbol, what does it represent and why? If a theme, how is it presented, and what is the implication of this message? Cite textual evidence to support your answer.

Choose a scene from the novel and examine it in terms of writing craft/literary devices. How does Ringland use literary elements such as sensory imagery, figurative language, internal thoughts of characters, motifs, etc.? Describe her writing style on a line level and holistically. What are the effects of these literary elements?

Analyze a character not highlighted in this Guide, such as Twig or Clem. Describe their characterization, growth (or lack thereof), and role in the book.

Oggi tells Alice that June can’t treat her “like you’re just something in her garden that she can tell when to bloom or not” (171). What does Oggi mean? How does his quote relate to the larger messages of the story? Cite textual evidence to support your answer.

Examine Ringland’s use of third-person, multiple point of view. For instance, how does the inclusion of June’s voice or Sally’s perspective contribute to the narrative? Why did Ringland include multiple voices, rather than only Alice? Support your answer with textual evidence.

Pick three metaphors and/or similes from the novel. What do they mean? What purpose do Ringland’s many metaphors and similes serve in her work? Support your answer with textual evidence.

Research the genre conventions of literary fiction and coming-of-age novels. How does The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart fit into or subvert genre conventions? What are the effects in terms of pacing, characterization, imagery, conflict, and other literary devices? Support your answer with textual evidence.