Discussion Questions for Brothers and Sisters by Bebe Moore Campbell

1. What social, political, and psychological themes run through this novel?

2. How does race define a person?

3. Should race ever take precedence over other characteristics? If so, when?

4. Do you think white people ever experience conflicted feelings similar to those of black people over the relationship of haves and have-nots in the community?

5. Do you think the racial barrier to becoming a lender that Esther experienced would have been replaced by a gender barrier if she had been white?

6. How do you evaluate Esther’s motto: “No romance without finance?”

7. Do you think the author handled both sides of the sexual harassment issue adequately?

8. How much importance was given to loyalty to race and gender in this novel?

9. What problems did Esther and Mallory share?
10. How was Humphrey’s view of black women influenced by his family?

11. What are the main differences in the perceptions of the Rodney King-Reginald Denny incidents by the main characters in this story?

12. What do you think each of the following characters added to this story?

Esther

Mallory

Vanessa

LaKeesha

Idalia

Humphrey

Tyrone

Preston

Bailey

Kirk

Cody