Keeping Faith - discussion guide

 
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Summary

Mariah White is a woman who works in lists; she is organised down to the minute detail. However, she finds her control slipping as once again she catches her husband having an affair. This time there is another factor to his betrayal – Faith, their seven year old daughter. As Mariah tries to hold their world together things appear to be falling apart for Faith.

Faith has found a new playmate – God. Initially it seems like child play but as Faith begins to quote Scripture, Mariah starts to wonder if she really is seeing God. As interest grows in Faith from atheists and believers it seems all America will be captivated by the saint-like child. Hounded by the press and enthusiastic believers, Mariah takes Faith and runs. However, things take a scary turn for the worse as Faith’s hands start to bleed and miracles start to happen.

Accusations begin to fly as TV star and famous atheist Ian Fletcher digs further into the mystery that surrounds Faith and her mother. Determined to discover Mariah’s secret, he is intent on undermining Faith as a miracle worker. However, as he delves deeper into the ‘fraud’ will Ian become one of the people he has so often ridiculed on his show? Is Faith really seeing God? Or is Mariah manipulating her daughter in a desperate cry for attention?

Background

Jodi Picoult is becoming known in the literary world as a woman who will tackle any subject no matter how controversial. Keeping Faith is no different, featuring the contentious topics of stigmata and miracles. Throughout Keeping Faith Picoult challenges readers to think about their beliefs.

When asked what her goal for the end of the book was, Picoult replied:

At the end of Keeping Faith, I wanted you to feel like Mariah and Millie and Ian and everyone else who comes into contact with Faith – like you've had to rethink what you believe. Whether you think she's a prophet or a messiah or a fake, she is ultimately a little girl who hasn't had her mom's attention before. And AT THAT MOMENT she does fake speaking to God, because she isn't willing to lose that attention. That said, I don't personally believe that Faith is faking all along . . . I think that God moves onto someone more needy in that last scene. But I did want you to remember that above all else, she's a kid – lest you fall into the same mistake that some of the media did during the course of the book. (www.jodipicoult.com)

Keeping Faith is a book which raises the questions of faith, doubt and religion. Picoult will certainly get you thinking about your faith and the cynicism that surrounds religion – would you believe Faith or would you, too, accuse Mariah of being an attention seeker?

Questions

1. What was your reaction to Keeping Faith? Why did you react in this way?

2. Why do you think Picoult chose the name Faith for her main character? What is she trying to convey through this choice of name?

3. Ian initially believes that miracles and signs do not exist: ‘People believe in God because they don’t have any other explanation for things that happen’ (p. 31). Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?

4. What was your reaction to the character of Ian? Why did you react in this way to him?

5. How does Ian differ to Mariah? How does this affect your feelings towards these characters?

6. Why do you think the book has been split into the Old Testament and the New Testament? What is the difference between the two sections in the novel?

7. How did you react when you realised Faith was talking to God? How did Faith’s God being a woman affect your reaction?

8. ‘I always wondered why God was supposed to be a father. . . . Fathers always want you to measure up to something. Mothers are the ones who love you unconditionally’ (Millie, p. 100).

How did you react to this statement? Why?

9. How did your feelings change towards Mariah when she found out Faith was seeing God? How do you think you would respond in a similar situation? Why would you respond like that?

10. What did you feel and think when Millie came back to life? Do you think something like that is possible? Why?

11. By the end of the book did you believe that Faith was seeing God or was it just her imagination? What lead you to this conclusion?

12. Throughout the book faith and science are in a battle. When you started reading the book which side did you agree with? Did this change as the story continued? Why/why not?

13. What do you think Jodi Picoult’s beliefs are from the book? Do you agree or disagree with her?

14. Why do you think all the adults that examine Faith are expecting a hoax? What is the author trying to say about faith through this? Why is this an accurate or inaccurate examination of our culture today?

15. Ian Fletcher describes Faith as being a child who says she can talk to God. Why is this unusual? Christians believe they can talk to God and also listen to him as well through prayer. They believe God is a constant companion who is there always, similar to Faith’s God. What is your reaction to this belief? Why do you think this?

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