Family of Liars

Describe Carrie’s relationship with Penny. How does Carrie’s perception of her sister affect the way she interacts with her?

There are many secrets kept between the members of the Sinclair family. What are the effects of these secrets, and how do they affect the characters in the short and long term?

How does Carrie use fairy tales to allude to the more challenging aspects of her past? Which characters does Carrie identify with, and why are these comparisons important?

Explain the importance of Yardley as a character in the text. How is she different from her family, and what does she teach Carrie about living up to one’s own values?

Describe Tipper as a character. What role does she play in the text, and what does she teach Carrie about the different ways people cope with loss and grief?

How does the time (the late 1980s) shape how the story unfolds? How might the story have progressed differently if it occurred in a different time?

How does Carrie’s perception of Pfeff change throughout the text, especially as she becomes an adult? What does Carrie ultimately decide to feel and think about Pfeff as a person, and why is this decision important?

What role do ghosts play in the text and how do Carrie’s interactions with them shape her outlook on life and her identity development?