The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

The protagonist’s name “Calpurnia” is shared by several significant female characters in classic literature. For example, Calpurnia is the name of Julius Caesar’s wife in one of Shakespeare’s works, and it is also the name of a kind of tree on the continent of Africa. Does the name Calpurnia fit the protagonist? Why does she go by the nickname “Callie,” and why does her grandfather emphasize the beauty of her full name?

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is written in past tense as Callie tells her story from some point in the future. What does the past tense allow Callie to do as a narrator that the present tense does not? How would the novel be different if it was told in the present tense?

The American Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865 and deeply impacted the economy of the South for years afterward. How are the characters impacted by their experiences during and after the Civil War? How does this past event impact Callie’s understanding of the adults in her life? Analyze at least three different adult characters, using examples from the text to support your analysis.

The novel is set in Fentress, Texas, a small town in Caldwell county about 30 miles from Austin, the state’s capital. Why does the author chose this setting rather than setting the story in Austin? How might Callie’s story change if she were to grow up in a modernized city?

As the only daughter in a family of six brothers, Callie notices that she is treated differently than her brothers. In what ways does Callie’s gender impact the perceptions of her family and society? How does she act to defy these social limitations, and to what degree is she successful?

The natural world is a significant motif that inspires Callie’s ongoing passion for science. Throughout the novel, Callie encounters many plants and animals that help her to understand her world and the expectations placed upon her. Choose at least two of the featured animals or plants and explain how they change Callie’s worldview.

How do the dynamics of the Tate family change over the course of the novel? Choose at least three shifts and explain why they occur. How do they change the way that Callie understands her place within the world?

The novel mentions several significant scientific breakthroughs, including The Origin of Species, the telephone, and the automobile. How do these inventions and discoveries inspire Callie? Do they change her outlook on her future? Why or why not?