Serena Perseverance

There are a lot of bad things to say about Serena, but if there's one thing we can't deny our leading lady, it's that she's most definitely not a quitter. Sure, sometimes she's not quitting murdering people, but that's not the point—she has guts and drive in spades. She's not the only one, either. Rachel proves herself a force to be reckoned with in Serena, too, refusing to give up or give in even when Serena threatens her life. For better and (often) for worse, there's no shortage of perseverance in this book.

Questions About Perseverance

1. Is perseverance always a virtue? Why or why not? If it isn't, which characters represent the different sides of this trait?
2. How do the workers show perseverance throughout Serena? Why must they persevere, even when they don't want to?
3. Which does Serena portray as more important—perseverance by individuals or perseverance through teamwork? Why do some people rely on others from help while others must do things by themselves?

Chew on This

Serena shows two sides of perseverance in Rachel and Serena: While Rachel is determined and tenacious, Serena is apathetic and stubborn, both of which are caused by perseverance.

While Serena is cold-hearted, her perseverance allows her to survive several near-death experiences and is a real virtue to her character.