72 pages • 2 hours read
A Time For Mercy
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Essay Topics
How would you feel if you were a juror in the Gamble trial? Do you think Drew is guilty of capital murder or justifiable homicide? Explain your answer.
Why does John Grisham have Jake work on two cases simultaneously instead of focusing on just the Gamble case?
Discuss the issue of race in the novel. Where do you see examples of racism? Identify instances of racial acceptance. Which characters tend to be more accepting than others, and why do you think they’re more accepting?
Discuss how Kiera’s pregnancy adds depth to the plot.
Some critics argue that Grisham ends Drew’s trial in an anticlimactic way. Why does he write the ending this way? Do you think the end is realistic? Explain your answers.
How has Jake’s relationship with Carl Lee Hailey developed since his trial five years before Drew’s? Do you think Jake will have a similar relationship with the Gambles? Why or why not?
After Jake picks up Drew from the jail, Ozzie asks Jake to lunch. Do you think they’ll go back to being friends? What about the other deputies? Explain your answer and connect your thoughts to the theme of small-town culture.
What do you think will happen at Drew’s re-trial in December? Do you think Drew will ever go back to jail?
Why does Jake name his new son after Lucien Wilbanks?
What will life be like for Luke Brigance growing up in a small town that knows his paternal background? Do you believe Kiera will ever associate with him as he gets older? Explain.
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By John Grisham
