White Smoke

Marigold grows in courage, maturity, and self-acceptance throughout the novel. Identify three scenes that contribute most significantly to her coming-of-age process. How do they propel her toward growth and maturation? Which secondary characters are most influential to her character arc?

White Smoke depicts certain groups—such as “squatters” or “thugs”— as scapegoats for growing fear and unrest. How does the novel explore individuals’ and groups’ tendency to project societal anxieties onto marginalized populations? How does this scapegoating contribute to the novel’s broader exploration of fear, community division, and the dangers of a mob mentality?

The novel is told entirely from Marigold’s first-person viewpoint except for the preface. What context clues make the viewpoint character clear in the preface post-reading, considering the later events of the plot? How would the narrative effect differ if it was told from multiple points of view?