Discussion Leader #5: Jenny

1.) Why do people tend to open up to Ned?

People at the monastery see Ned as an individual who doesn't follow the norm. They are not aware of Ned's true identity even though she lets slip some of her feminine thoughts and actions. Although some things made the people surrounding Ned very uncomfortable and/or suspicious, she managed to go the entire time without exposing herself. The people surrounding her trusted her because they saw Ned as a unique individual who wasn't afraid to be different and would accept others for their differences. Ned also appeared to be a genuinely caring guy who had no problem expressing his thoughts and feelings.


2.) Why didn't Ned try to break the silence at the meetings where they were supposed to open up to one another?

Ned was afraid of being to obvious about her disguise. At the same time I think Ned should have opened up to see if they men would follow her lead and do the same. This could have brought a whole new perspective on the man versus woman gender roles. I think it would have made the book more interesting as well instead of us hearing the same type of issues and responses over and over again.

3.) Why did Virgil go to Ned and tell him about his acceptance to becoming a monk after he had been ignoring him for so long?

I think Virgil was very proud of himself and thought that Ned would show his approval more than the other guys around him. He wanted to boast and not have to worry about looking like an idiot, and considering Ned is seen as an accepting guy, he didn't think twice about going to him. Ned is a genuinely caring guy who would honestly be proud of Virgil and he would also express his emotions on the matter more than the other men.

4.) We believed men in a monastery would be more open to sharing their feelings and problems with one another. Why is this not true?

There is still the aspect of competitiveness in a monastery and they show their manliness as a sign of being powerful and strong-minded. These are qualities they look for in monks. It makes them think their beliefs and motives are just as strong as their actions. Also, monasteries do not typically accept intimacy of any sort. Their religion doesn't approve of homosexuals which is one of the reasons why they look at Ned in such a strange way.