How are the various female characters portrayed in the book (i.e., Lizzie, Mrs. Buckminster, Mrs. Hurd, and/or Mrs. Cobb)? What is Schmidt saying about gender through the depiction of these characters?

How would this story have changed if it took place before or during the American Civil War? What impact does Lizzie being technically “free” (not legally enslaved) have on the story and the challenges she faces?

Choose two parts of the book where Schmidt incorporates “the sea breeze” into his narration. What imagery does he use in these sections, and how does that imagery support his story in that passage?