47 pages • 1 hour read
M.L. StedmanThe Light Between Oceans
Fiction | Novel | Adult | 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
Tom is torn between obeying the law and keeping his family intact. Describe his moral struggle and argue for or against the decisions he makes to keep Lucy and then to give her up.
Nearly every character in the novel has lost a loved one. How does grief affect the characters’ understanding of the difference between right and wrong?
Consider the lifestyle that Janus Rock offers. Is the island a place of safety or a place of danger?
Should Isabel have named the different spots around Janus Rock? Why or why not?
Consider the major choices that characters such as Isabel, Tom, and Hannah make throughout the novel. What choices would you have made if you were in any of their positions? Why?
Who is the most sympathetic character? The least? Support your choices with textual evidence.
How has the war impacted the characters and their choices?
Is there an absolute right or wrong? How does the author use the novel to answer this question?
What does the title of the book, The Light Between Oceans, mean?
How does Tom view nature and his place in it? How is this similar or different to Isabel’s understanding of her place in nature?
