The Apothecary

Besides those included in this guide, what other themes does the novel suggest? You might consider Vili’s discussion of opposites and dualities as well as Janie’s revelations about the nature of the relationship between adults and children.

The text often includes details about some of the minor characters, such as Mrs. Parrish’s reliance on gin and Jin Lo’s family history during wartime. What is the effect of these inclusions? How do they add to the text’s mood and meaning? Include textual evidence.

Pip shares a name with the protagonist of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations, while Jane shares a name with several female characters, including the title character of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. Compose a brief essay that explores these characters’ similarities to and differences from their namesakes. You might also explore the possible associations with Benjamin’s name, perhaps even to the donkey in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, which many read as a satire of the Russian Revolution and its primary figures.