Sea of Tranquility

What is the nature of home and exile in the novel? Choose two characters from the novel, and compare and/or contrast their concepts of home and exile. Include textual support in your answer.

Choose three characters from the novel and detail their transformation. How are each of these journeys the same, and how are they different?

Using evidence from the novel, why is the moon important to the characters and to the storyline? What is the actual Sea of Tranquility, and what significance does it hold as the novel’s title? How does this tie into the novel’s themes and characters?

What is the significance of Gaspery’s accent? How does it define his character, and how does it influence how other characters perceive him?

Detail the appearance of music in the Sea of Tranquility. Why is music meaningful to the characters and to the storyline? What is the significance of the violin, compared to any other instrument?

Mandel wrote this novel during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Describe how Mandel incorporated her own thoughts, emotions, and life experiences during the pandemic into the storyline and her characters. Support your answer with direct quotes from the text.

Describe Mirella’s experience with memory. What are her triggers? Why does she suppress memories? Explain why Mirella’s memories are an important plot device, citing evidence from the novel.

How does the novel contrast personal morality with institutional rules? How does the bureaucratic self-preservation of the Time Institute contrast with ethics surrounding the value of all human life?