42 pages • 1 hour read
Suzanne SimardFinding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2021A 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
What is Simard’s theory of Mother Trees? How does she write about developing this theory, and what connection does it have to the events of her personal life?
Discuss the cultural importance of Simard’s research in a feminist context. Do you believe Simard is a feminist? How does she challenge the gender norms of her scientific field? Is she successful?
How did Simard’s relationship with her family shape her scientific career? In what ways did they support her, and in what ways did they disagree with her research?
How does Simard use her concept of Mother Trees to influence cultural, social, and academic discourse?
Who is Simard’s audience with this book? In what ways does she write for a specific readership?
How do the Forest Service's policymakers react to Simard’s research? How does Simard challenge their authority?
Simard receives support from her scientific colleagues and family in her early research. How does this cooperative group dynamic reflect the research she undertakes on forest ecosystems?
Why do you think Simard decided to write a memoir that includes her personal familial life alongside her scientific research? What do her personal relationships contribute to understanding her scientific theories and results?
Simard concludes her memoir with scenes describing her current research and the involvement of her daughter, Hannah, in collecting results. How do these scenes correspond with Simard’s concept of Mother Trees?
