A Lack of Temperance Discussion Questions

  1. The author often refers to the setting, Eureka Springs, Arkansas, as one of the main characters of the story. Do you agree? Could this story have taken place anywhere? 
  2. During in the Victorian Age, natural springs, like those in the story, were lauded for their medical cures for everything from indigestion to cancer , with an entire industry of “health spas” popping up around them, often in remotes part of the country. What benefits do you think they really had, physically, psychologically? Are there modern-day health fad equivalents?
  3. In the book, temperance is defined as “moderation in all things healthful; total abstinence from all things harmful” (Xenophon, 400 B.C.) Discuss the role of temperance, or lack thereof, in the story. Does this concept apply to society as well as to individuals?
  4. Why do you think organizations like the American Women’s Temperance Coalition were so popular during the 19th and early 20th century?  What roles did they play for their members? For their cause?
  5. Miss Lizzie and Miss Lucy disagreed with Mrs. Trevelyan’s more aggressive tactics to further their cause. Do you think Mrs. Trevelyan did more harm than good by “smashing” saloons? If so, why?  
  6. Discuss how the constraints placed on Hattie as a woman of the Victorian era differ from those faced by modern women. Were there any advantages for Victorian women, women don’t have today?
  7. How does the romance between Walter and Hattie reflect the times they live in?  Would it be different today? If so, how?
  8. Who were the most sympathetic characters? Least sympathetic? Why? Did this change over the course of the book?
  9. Did Mrs. Trevelyan’s hypocrisy come as a surprise? Why or why not? Did this diminish her as a leader or did her accomplishments outweigh her failings?
  10. The story was told in first person from Hattie’s perspective. Did it make you feel that you got to know Hattie’s character, or do you wish it had been told from different perspectives?
  11. Did you learn anything new from the story? If so what? If not, what was missing?