Book Club Discussion Questions 5.

Janine calls Miles "The World's Most

Transparent Man" [p. 42] and Tick says, "It's
not like you don't have any [secrets] . . . It's
1. Richard Russo's description of town of just that everybody figures them out" [p.
Empire Falls is as memorable and vivid as his 107]. Does Mrs. Whiting share this image of
portraits of the people who live there. How do Miles? What evidence is there that she sees
the details he provides about the town's and understands more about the "real" Miles
setting and its streets, buildings and than the people closest to him do?
neighborhoods create more than a physical
backdrop against which the story is played 6. How does Russo use minor characters to
out? How does the use of flashbacks fill out his portraits of the main figures? What
strengthen the sense of the town as a "living" roles do Horace Weymouth, Bea Majeski,
character? Charlene and Otto Meyer play in shaping
your impressions of and opinions about Miles,
2. "One of the good things about small towns, Janine and Tick?
Miles's mother had always maintained, was
that they accommodated just about 7. How do David's feelings about Mrs.
everyone" [p. 21]. Is this an accurate Whiting and the Empire Grill differ from
description of Empire Falls? Which characters Miles's? Whose attitude is more realistic? Is
in particular benefit from this attitude? What David's harsh criticism of Miles's passivity
influences the level of tolerance Miles is [pp. 224-5] justified? What insights does it
willing to extend to Max Roby, Walt Comeau give you into David's character? Is David
and Jimmy Minty, all of whom are constant more content with his life than Miles is with
irritants to him? What does he see as the his own, and if so, why?
redeeming characteristics of each of them?
8. Charlene tells Miles: "David has this theory
3. Why is his relationship with Tick so that between your mom and dad and him
important to Miles? In what ways is it and you there's, like, one complete person"
reminiscent of his mother's attachment to [p. 226]. Has each member of the family
him? How do Grace's expectations for Miles, selected a particular role, or has it been
as well as her ultimate disappointment in thrust upon him or her? Is the division of
him, shape the way he is raising Tick? roles a natural part of family life? Which
member of the Roby family is the "most
4. Even before the full story of Grace and complete, " and what sacrifices did he or she
Max's marriage is revealed, what hints are make to establish a strong individual
there that Grace was less than the ideal wife identity?
and mother Miles remembers and reveres?
Why does Miles choose to accept his 9. What does Father Mark offer Miles that he
mother's version of events of their trip to cannot get from his other relationships? Is
Martha's Vineyard, even though it entails a Miles drawn to him only because he is a
betrayal of his father [pp. 136-47]? When priest? Why does Russo depict both priests
Miles finally realizes who Charlie Mayne really as flawed men—Father Mark by his sexual
is, does it change his feelings about Grace in longings and Father Tom by his dementia?
a significant way? Would he have felt How would you characterize the impact of
differently if Grace were still alive and able to Catholicism on Miles and Grace? Does
answer his questions [pp.338-9]? How attending church genuinely comfort them, or
doesMiles's own situation—particularly his is it a convenient way of hiding from the
separation from Janine and his discovery of problems in their lives and the decisions they
the relationship between Charlene and David have made? In what ways do Grace's
—color his reaction to his mother's affair? confession to Father Tom and the penance
How does his brief conversation with Max he demands affect her character and her
about Grace and Charlie [p. 373] shed light outlook on life?
on the relationship between father and son?
10. Why does Tick befriend John Voss? How 14. Empire Falls traces three very different
does her sense of responsibility for him families—the Whitings, the Robys, and the
compare to Miles's feelings—both when he's Mintys—through several generations. What
a child and a grown man—about Cindy do each of these families represent in terms
Whiting? Are the differences attributable to of American society in general? How do their
the circumstances that bring each pair fates embody the economic and social
together, or do they reflect something changes that have occurred over the last
deeper about Tick's and Miles's morality and century? To what extent are the members of
their ability to empathize with other people? the current generation trapped by the past?
What other incidents demonstrate Tick's
understanding of what other people need? 15. What does Empire Falls provide that its
Why is she unable to treat Janine in the same residents might not be able to find in another
comfortable, nonjudgmental way she treats town or city? Does living in a small town
Miles and Max Roby? necessarily limit the satisfactions people get
out of life? Miles says, "After all, what was
11. Would you define Mrs. Whiting as a the whole wide world but a place for people
mother figure for Miles? Does she perceive to yearn for their hearts' impossible desires,
herself in this way? Does Miles? Beneath for those desires to become entrenched in
their very different personas, what traits do defiance of logic, plausibility, and even the
Mrs. Whiting and Grace share? Do they passage of time?" [p. 295]. Is he right? Which
represent strengths and weaknesses usually characters might have had better, more
associated with women? In what ways does fulfilling lives if they had moved away from?
Mrs. Whiting's description of her relationship
with Grace [p. 435] reaffirm their similarities? 16. In contemplating the past year, Tick says,
Which woman is more honest with herself "Just because things happen slow doesn't
about her motivations and feelings? mean you'll be ready for them. If they
happened fast, you'd be alert for all kinds of
12. All of the marriages in Empire Falls fail in suddenness. . . "Slow" works on an altogether
one way or another. Does your sense of who different principle, on the deceptive
is responsible for each marital breakdown impression that there's plenty of time to
change as the events of the past and present prepare" [p. 441]. How does this relate to the
unfold? Discuss the contrast between the novel as a whole and the way it is structured?
way each of these marriages is initially Why has Russo chosen Tick to express this
described and the "real" stories: Grace and insight?
Max; Mr. and Mrs. Whiting; Miles and Janine.
Mrs. Whiting says "Most people . . . marry the 17. What adjectives would you use to
wrong people for all the wrong reasons. For describe Empire Falls? How does Russo make
reasons so absurd they can't even remember the story of a dying town (with more than its
what they were a few short months after share of losers) entertaining and engaging?
they've pledged themselves forever" [p. Did you find most, if not all, of the characters
169]. How does this assessment apply to the sympathetic in some way?
marriages mentioned above?

13. From the almost unimaginable cruelty of

John Voss's parents to Mrs. Whiting's
coldness toward Cindy, to Grace's emotional
withdrawal from David (and to some extent
Miles) when she joins the Whiting household,
the novel contains several examples of the
emotional and physical harm parents inflict
on their children. Why do you think Russo
made this a central theme of the book? Does
it adequately explain, or even justify,
behavior you would otherwise find
completely unacceptable?