The Woman in Cabin 10

Lo and the woman in Cabin 10 are linked in a number of ways: by their physical appearance, status as victims, and, later, the fact that they've both disappeared. In what way is Lo's character developed by this connection to a murder victim? How does Lo exist within and fight against her status as a victim?

The setting of the novel plays a key role in the ominous atmosphere that Ware creates. How does Lo's discomfort in this claustrophobic Arctic environment, which is meant to be a luxurious vacation destination, shape her character and the overall narrative? What is the effect of this paradox?

What argument is Ware making about feminism and mental illness in this novel? How does she call stereotypical ideas about both women and the mentally ill into question through her development of character and narrative?

A common symbol that runs through The Woman in Cabin 10 is the sensation of drowning. How does Ware use not only a literal account of drowning, but also dreams, metaphors, and other rhetorical devices related to drowning to increase suspense in the novel?

Is Lo an unreliable narrator? Trace your perceptions of Lo as they change throughout the novel, and write an essay in which you investigate the effect of Lo's questionable reliability on the novel as a whole.

Examine the role of Lady Anne Bullmer in the story. What symbolic purposes might she serve? How does her appearance and her illness contribute to the symbolism of her character? How do illusions about her life later complicate these ideas?

In what ways does Ware make an argument against positions of power and the people who hold them? How does this critique of power play into the idea of wealth, and the influence it earns those who possess it?

What is the significance of Judah's inability to agree with Lo at the end of the novel about the nature of abusive relationships, and what they can lead women to do that they might never do otherwise? What do you believe Ware wants the reader to take away from this narrative of abuse?