DISCUSSION QUESTIONS A Woman of No Importance |
1. A charismatic woman of great intelligence
and resourcefulness, Virginia Hall is an inspiration from the very first
page of A Woman of No Importance. She clearly had a similar
magnetic pull in person, drawing people from all walks of life to stand
for freedom, their country, and the Allied effort, often at great peril
to their families and themselves. 2. Since birth, Virginia was expected to marry well and become a society wife; instead, she chose a male-dominated career path in which she constantly found herself either underestimated or overlooked, even after the end of her illustrious war career. Do you feel like views on where "a woman’s place" is have changed? In what ways do you feel society has progressed when it comes to gender equality—and in what ways has it not? 3. Did you (or anyone you know) have a course set for you since childhood that you were expected to follow? Have you (or they) since rebelled from that course? If so, what obstacles did you (or they) have to face, if any? Was it worth it? 4. Considering how central Virginia’s role was
in the Allied victory in France, it’s difficult to fathom how she could
have been lost in the annals of history. While there are likely
many factors in play as to why her story took so many years to surface,
Virginia herself was also uninterested in fame and shied away from
public accolades, seeking to continue her work in anonymity. 5. What do you think the role of trailblazers in history should be? Do figures like Virginia have an obligation or duty toward those who come after them? What do we owe the generation that comes after us? 6. At the young age of twenty-seven, Virginia
lost a leg to gangrene after a devastating hunting accident. She somehow
found the resilience to not only survive but thrive, both for herself
and for her beloved France. She mentions that she had a spiritual
experience on her sickbed, seeing a vision of her father that told her
she must survive, she must go on. 7. Sonia Purnell asks a pressing question:
"One of my great interests is motivation—why did Virginia take insane
gambles with her own life for the sake of another country?" 8. During the war, Virginia was often a
rebellious figure, known not only for her courage but often for her
disregard of directives, accurately believing herself capable of playing
a larger role than she was given. Still, in her personal life, rather
than cause a possible family upset, she hid her continuing relationship
with Paul from her mother for many years. 9. Virginia was wise, discerning, and perceptive beyond belief—her life depended on deciding whom to trust and how much. Against all odds, it seems she always made the right choice—except for Alesch. Given the skepticism that others around her had about him, why do you think she trusted him as she did? 10. Virginia had to put on many personas
during the war, from the journalist she played during her first foray
into France to the elderly peasant woman she pretended to be when she
returned. She played all her roles with finesse and, apparently, very
convincingly. 11. Virginia and her compatriots all across
France faced heavy losses during the war. Some were tortured to the
point of death, others faced the firing squad, and still others suffered
from injuries incurred in battle for the rest of their lives—including
Virginia herself. 12. If Virginia were alive and in her prime today, what do you suppose her role would be in today’s America? What would she think of America now? 13. Virginia Hall was a very private person, whether because she had noted what happened when her fellow spies had loose lips or because of her nature. If you could meet Virginia, what is the foremost question you’d want to ask her? |
Home l About Us l Features l Contact Us l Share l Submit Book |