43 pages • 1 hour read
Emily M. DanforthThe Miseducation of Cameron Post
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2012A 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
Create a timeline of Cameron’s perspectives on religious faith and destiny. How do they change over time? Does she come to any conclusions about her belief system by the end of the book? Why or why not?
What is the relationship between religion and sexual preference in the book?
What role does Lindsey play in Cameron’s life? What role does Coley play? How are they similar and/or different?
After her parents’ death, Cameron grows increasingly obsessed with working on her dollhouse. She rekindles this urge while away at God’s Promise. What do you think motivates Cameron’s desire to re-create the dollhouse? What does this say about Cameron?
Explain what Adam means when he says he is a “Two-Spirit” (312). Why is the inclusion of this facet of Adam’s identity important, and how does this detail inform the novel’s central themes?
Describe Cameron’s relationship with her aunt Ruth. What does Aunt Ruth represent?
Compare the different perspectives on homosexuality in the book. Why does Danforth present lesbianism as a spectrum?
At the end of the book, Cameron wades into Quake Lake, the site of her parents’ death, to make amends. She carries a lit candle with her, and after her communion with them, she blows it out. What does this signify?
Danforth writes The Miseducation of Cameron Post in a conversational tone using casual, everyday vernacular. How does the book’s tone contribute to the reader’s experience?
How do Coley, Cameron, Margo, and Jane subvert expectations of traditional femininity and gender roles?
