Necessary Lies

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of forced sterilization, racism, violence, suicide, and sexual trauma.

The novel’s title puts forth the position held by Charlotte and the other social workers: that it is in the best interest of women and girls to sterilize them without telling them. Jane disagrees. What evidence from the novel supports either Charlotte’s or Jane’s viewpoint regarding these “necessary lies”? How do the experiences of Ivy, Mary Ella, and Lita contribute to the contrasting perspectives on this issue?

The novel presents several examples of mothers, including Mary Ella, Lita, Lois, Nonnie, and Jane’s mother. How does the portrayal of motherhood in the novel contribute to its thematic exploration of Gender Norms in Mid-20th-Century America and Personal Agency and Autonomy?

How does the setting of Necessary Lies impact the characters and drive the development of the plot and conflict? In what ways does the landscape shape the experiences and decisions of the characters throughout the narrative?