This Must Be the Place

Claudette’s reclusiveness is a direct response to the trauma of fame. How does the theme of fame and its consequences impact the novel as a whole?

There are three mother-son relationships in the novel: Daniel and Teresa, Claudette and Ari, and Niall and his mother. Compare and contrast these relationships: How are their dynamics different from each other, and how are they similar? How do mother-son relationships differ from mother-daughter relationships in the novel, and why is this significant?

Rosalind has her own chapter but is entirely unconnected with the major players of the novel. How does this chapter affect the plot, characters, and themes in the rest of the novel? Why does O’Farrell give Rosalind a full life and characterization when she only appears for the trip to South America?