THE HEART REMEMBERS By Jan-Philipp Sendker Questions for Discussion 1. The Heart Remembers opens with the lines: “Love, my uncle said, plays a part in every story, however grand or simple, however beautiful or otherwise. You will find love in the stories that make us cry, just as in the stories meant to lift our spirits.” Do you think this is true? Are there other elements that are universal to all stories? 2. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats trilogy has storytelling as a central theme: in the first novel, Julia discovers the truth about her father via the story told to her by U Ba; The Heart Remembers hinges on Bo Bo hearing the story of his parents’ great love. Consider storytelling as a framing device for the novels, which are themselves stories. In what ways do we think of our own lives as stories, as narratives? 3. What do you make of Bo Bo’s “gift” for reading people’s emotions through their eyes? Is this view of his abilities reliable, and if so, is he just remarkably perceptive or does magic play a part? How does his character relate to the supernatural in Burmese culture? 4. Does this novel stand alone? How would your experience of reading the book have been different if you had not (or if you had) read the first two?
The Heart Remembers by Jan-Philipp Sendker Other Press www.otherpress.com
5. Discuss how and why the novel incorporates the Saffron Revolution protests. What does the novel have to say about the current political upheaval in Myanmar?
The Heart Remembers by Jan-Philipp Sendker Other Press www.otherpress.com