Reading Guide Topics & Questions for The Birthing House
In The Birthing House, Conrad purchases the house somewhat impulsively, after the recent death of his estranged father. Later, the reader learns more about Conrad’s history with Holly and his own fatherhood that never was. How do you feel Conrad’s fatherhood issues and fears of becoming a parent played into the events of the story? The haunting itself? The choices and mistakes Conrad makes?
At the beginning of the story, Conrad is attempting to heal his marriage by moving from Los Angeles to rural Wisconsin. He is, the author repeats, “a man who likes beginnings more than middles or endings.” Do you think Conrad’s attempt to have a fresh start is logical? Discuss new beginnings and whether changing our environment can help our relationships, how we think of ourselves, and our role in the world.
The Birthing House contains several references to the mating rituals of animals—the Boelen’s pythons and the phenomenon known as parthenogenesis, the film March of the Penguins, and Conrad’s adoption of the dogs, Luther and Alice. What symbolism and parallels do you think the author is implying about the mating rituals of human beings? What role does Jo and Conrad’s temporary separation play in the story and the later consequences? Do you feel Nadia’s close proximity to the birthing house influences Conrad’s temptation and desire to be a father? Discuss how people in real life sometimes exhibit “wildlife rituals,” mating or otherwise.
As a man who lost his father and suspects his wife of infidelity, Conrad may be a sympathetic character. But as he becomes more haunted by his past and the house itself, and longs for Nadia, his actions become difficult to forgive. Did you find Conrad a sympathetic character, a victim, or a willing participant in evil deeds? At what point, if any, in the story did you feel he crossed the line from “good guy” to “bad guy”? What defines a “good character” in fiction? Does good mean “likeable” or “believable/real”?
The Birthing House deals with the desire to be a father and also contains some sexual passages. With regard to male sexuality in particular, discuss the line between love and lust. How do men and women differ in their desires and biological drives? Where does the need to procreate end and lust begin? How are men and women different in this capacity?
Alma, the ghost who haunts the birthing house, is a distinct character who eventually reveals her history of suffering to Conrad via his near-death experience at the end. But Alma also bears a strong resemblance to Conrad’s wife, Joanna. Why do you think the author chose to present Alma in the guise of Jo? Is Alma a figment of Conrad’s imagination or a separate entity? Do you think her resemblance to Jo a coincidence, or was Alma using Jo’s likeness to communicate something more to Conrad?
Part of the mystery of The Birthing House is the question of whether Conrad is losing his mind or if the house really is haunted. Do you feel like this part of the mystery was resolved completely? Do you believe in ghosts? If so, do you believe they are products of our environment, our minds, or a little of both?
What did you find most frightening in The Birthing House—the paranormal/psychological haunting elements, or Conrad’s real-life relationship choices and “regular life” drama? Do you see parallels in the tension created by Conrad’s arguments with his wife, Jo, and the manifestations of the ghost? Discuss how Conrad’s inner turmoil may have fueled the haunting and “brought Alma to life.”
Have you ever seen a ghost, or do you know someone who has? Have you ever had a supernatural or paranormal experience? Discuss your experiences and the events in your life at the time. What factors may have made them possible? What was your state of mind before, during, or after the vision?
Which scene or scenes scared you the most? Why? And why do so many readers seem to enjoy being scared?