The Graveyard Book - Discuss Chapters 7 and 8

[Prof. Sky Alton]

Here we’ll be sharing our thoughts on chapters 7 and 8 of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, as well as the book as a whole. I’ve provided some discussion questions below to give you a place to start but please feel free to do your own thing.

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Chapter 7:
Bod is now fourteen. Do you think the book is more effective because we get to see Bod at different ages or do you find it awkward skipping from one year to another?
Were you surprised when Scarlett appeared in the story again?
Did you expect what happened with Mr Frost or did it take you by surprise? (Remember to use spoiler tags!)

Chapter 8:
Did you like the ending or would you have liked something different?
Which was your favourite of the Graveyard’s many dead inhabitants that we met?
Do you think we found out enough about the Honour Guard and the other mysteries we encountered or do you have lots of unanswered questions?

Thank you for reading with us!

[Louis Walles]

Chapter 7

I like the way Bod's a bit older in this chapter because we can skip the boring and monotone parts that would possibly be included in the book.

I was not surprised that Scarlett appeared again in the story because I thought there is going to be a connection between these two characters at some point anyway.

I was actually certain who Mr Frost really was. It was so weird there was a new random man taking care of the graves on the graveyard that was not in use for centuries.

Chapter 8

I didn't like the ending as much because I believe Bod was too young to leave the Graveyard.

My favourite character was Silas because he was most sensible and protective of Bod.

I don't think we know enough of the Honor Guard and I have tones of questions, such as why was it formed, who else did it help, how old is it, how did Silas became one of them.

[Harry Walles]

• Chapter 7

I also liked the way Bod aged in this chapter because we could easily compare him then and now.

I was a bit confused as to how Scarlett appeared again in this story because I didn't believe she has much of any purpose.

I did not expect Mr Frost to be Jack!! Really shocking!

• Chapter 8

I liked the ending because I think every story needs its ending and Bod's life at the Graveyard had to end as well. .

My favourite character was Bod because I loved to see the world from his perspective and how much he was growing up throughout the story.

I also believe we should know more about the Honour Guard, e.g. when and why was it formed, who formed it, who was in charge, where is their secret place to meet and talk.

[Emily Spencer]

Chapter 7

I do like the way Gaiman chose to skip years when writing about Bod, otherwise, it could have gotten very tedious and repetitive. Not skipping years may have bogged down the story unnecessarily, in my opinion.

To be honest, I was not surprised to see her again. Most of the people in Bod's story are there for a reason and appear more than once, so it was no surprise that she was no exception. Also, she is Bod's first interaction with another living person and I think this link was too important to just gloss over and dismiss as a passing moment.

To be fair, I have read the book before, so I knew that Mr. Frost was indeed Jack. But even if I had not read it previously, I had a very strong suspicion right away that Mr. Frost was actually Jack. The story was not Scarlet's, but Bod's, so for a character to be introduced at that late date had to logically be connected to Bod in some way. Being that his parents were dead and he had no other known relatives, the only other person it could be was Jack.

Chapter 8

I have very mixed feelings about the ending. While I agree that Bod's story in the graveyard was coming to an end, I do feel that fourteen was a wee bit young to send him out in the world alone. On the other hand, most of the graveyard inhabitants had died years before, and fourteen to them may have been considered an adult. I will admit to tearing up when he said goodbye to Mrs. Owens

Like Harry, my favorite character ended up being Bod himself. I loved watching his story unfold. Another favorite was the witch, Liza Hemstock. I loved her interactions with Bod and how, in her own caustic way, she looked out for him.

Like has been mentioned, I still have many questions about the Honour Guard. I would have liked to learn a bit of their history, especially how Silas came to be involved. We don't even really know their purpose, other than protecting Bod.

[Prof. Tarma Amelia Black]

Chapter 7:
Bod is now fourteen. Do you think the book is more effective because we get to see Bod at different ages or do you find it awkward skipping from one year to another?
Were you surprised when Scarlett appeared in the story again?
Did you expect what happened with Mr Frost or did it take you by surprise? (Remember to use spoiler tags!)

I had already noticed the skipping of age, here and there, in the book, so it was just another bit of storytelling on Mr. Gaiman's part.

When Scarlett appeared back in the story, I was somewhat surprised but then thought, oh, we are rounding out the book now. So yes, it is appropriate she comes back into the story. I was a little surprised at how she came back in, though.

As for Mr. Frost, that sort of slipped in and I didn't notice until OH WAIT, what did he say his first name was? (As I'd read the book years ago, I sort of remembered that Jack would return but didn't remember the details. Read that and OH!) After that, I was sort of reading and seeing how he was using Scarlett and her mother for his own intents and goals.

Chapter 8:
Did you like the ending or would you have liked something different?
Which was your favourite of the Graveyard’s many dead inhabitants that we met?
Do you think we found out enough about the Honour Guard and the other mysteries we encountered or do you have lots of unanswered questions?
This all happened really really fast. These last two chapters seem to whirl rapidly, especially compared with others. I didn't particularly care for Bod using Scarlett as bait -- at least without telling her or giving her the option to choose otherwise. I think some of that is the pragmatism with which he was raised, and that he got used to doing things on his own. Even so, I didn't like that. So when he is all upset about Silas removing Scarlett's memories, and she wants them gone, he needs to realize that he is, in part or wholly, responsible for her feeling that way. (I think that when he gets out in the world, has more contact with people who are alive, that one day he will understand why she was upset at him for using her as bait.)
However, another reason for Silas removing Scarlett's memories, which has nothing to do with Bod per se, but with the everything which happened, is summarized very neatly with:
{Bod} "How could you make her forget me?"
Silas said "People want to forget the impossible. It makes their world safer."
It wasn't just Bod that Silas has Scarlett forget, it was the whole thing. The Sleer, ghosts that talk and a boy who hears them, the Jacks of All Trades, Old Knowledge, everything which doesn't fit into her 'normal' world. Things which are, to a 'normal' person, quite impossible. I think Silas does this, partly for Bod, partly for the people for whom he is Guardian and also for Scarlett.

Favorite character? Oh, Silas. He's a Guardian. I also liked the family Owens, both Mr. and Mrs., for themselves and for taking in Bod.

I have a lot of unanswered questions. I wonder about the Honour Guard. How did they take out the other Jacks. How it got established. How the Jacks became a group (as it appears they age as regular people, so how do they recruit new people? etc etc). Tell me more about Silas. What happens with Bod? Where did he go, what did he do? Yes, I have a lot of questions.

This was a very good book to read. I'd read it once before, years ago, so had just the vague memory of what was going on and what would happen.

Thank you for thinking of it, Sky.