READERS GUIDE

Reader’s Guide
Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa
Discussion Questions:

1. Amara’s ending might not be happy, but is it satisfying? Do youthink that, given everything that happens to her, she couldhave had a different end to her story?

2. Amara and her father stay loyal to the traditional cultural practiceson the island, whereas Neha and her family adapt to thenew ways of the British. Do you think this shift in ideology isonly natural given their higher social status? Do you thinkthere are any other factors that motivated this change?

3. The story discusses exorcisms and demons using a traditionalSinhalese belief system. How does this differ from the way thesephenomena are depicted in the West? How are they similar?

4. Daphne has always been Amara’s tormentor. Why do youthink that is? Is Daphne perhaps threatened by Amara on somedeeper level, or is she simply just a bully?

5. Amara leaves her first meeting with Bhagya thinking she met a kindred spirit. But this feeling soon dissipates when some of Bhagya’s views challenge her own. What do you think is at the root of Amara’s change of heart?

6. Amara is quick to blame Leelawathi rather than her own father. What parts of Amara’s own experiences do you think impact her judgement and condition Amara to see things that way?

7. Why do you think that Kanthi still keeps in communication with Jeevan, even after what happened? Was it love, money, or something else?

8. Why do you think Amara is so drawn to demonology? Is it genuine interest, some sort of inherent talent, or just to be closer to her father?

9. Amara’s grandparents appear to want to make amends. They pay for Amara’s schooling, and even try to arrange a marriage proposal. What do you think drives them to do that? Is it love for their daughter, an attempt to save their own reputation, or something else?

10. The older woman with “the sight,” Heen Achchi, scares Amara at the beginning of the story. Do you think there is a deeper reason why Amara was afraid of her?