Feathers Theme of Family

In Feathers, Frannie is constantly talking about how important her family is. They may have difficulties—her dad travels a lot for work, her mom has had troubled pregnancies, and her brother is deaf—but they manage to enjoy each other and share lots of great memories anyway.

Others aren't so lucky, though. It's obvious that Trevor, the resident angry boy at school, feels resentful and unhappy because he doesn't have a father figure in his life. And Jesus Boy, the new kid, shows everyone that families come in all different shapes and colors—and that sometimes society isn't so kind to these families.

What every family has in common in this book, no matter their struggles, is that they play a major role in characters' lives. Family is formative in Feathers.

Questions About Family

  1. Why doesn't Frannie want her mama to have another baby when she first hears the news?
  2. How would you describe Frannie and Sean's relationship? Are they close?
  3. What's the deal with Jesus Boy's family? Why doesn't he just tell people right away that he's adopted?

Chew on This

Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.

Because of Jesus Boy's familial background, he feels more at home on "this" side of the highway, and just wants to be accepted.

Frannie is most unhappy about Mama's pregnancy because she is worried that her special place in their family unit will be usurped.