INTRODUCTION
In her fifteen novels, Jodi Picoult delves deep into the most
troubling contemporary social issues, writing fiction that the
New York Daily News calls "intelligent, often moving, and
always ripe for book club discussion." In Change of Heart,
she examines a convicted killer on death row, Shay Bourne, who has
taken the lives of Officer Kurt Nealon and his young stepdaughter,
Elizabeth. When Shay discovers that his victim''s living daughter,
Claire, is desperately in need of a heart transplant, he sees his
only chance for salvation. Standing in his way, however, is the law
and a mother filled with anger and revenge. On his side are some
unexpected allies -- a Catholic priest who had a hand in Shay''s
sentencing; an ambitious attorney who, despite her deep convictions
against capital punishment is determined to see Shay die on his own
terms; and a community who sees something in Shay that gives them
hope. Picoult expertly intersects matters of the state and matters
of the spirit to probe questions about the meaning of salvation and
who has the power to determine the fate of the soul.
GROUP DISCUSSION
1. The author uses several famous quotations from some of the
greatest thinkers in history, including Lewis Carroll, Voltaire,
Woody Allen, Mother Teresa, Mark Twain, the Dalai Lama, Bono,
Friedrich Nietzsche, and Albert Einstein. What effect do these
philosophical tidbits have on the telling of this story? Which one
resonated most with you?
2. Discuss the theme of belief in this novel. What does Shay
believe, and who believes in him? Apply this same question to
Maggie, Michael, and June. Did this story call any of their beliefs
into question? Which ones?
3. When Shay is moved to the I-tier, some very strange things
start happening -- water turns to wine, Calloway''s pet robin is
brought back to life, a tiny piece of gum becomes enough for all to
share. Some call these miracles while others call them hijinks.
What do you make of these incidents? Were you convinced that Shay
had divine powers, and if so, at what point did you make that
conclusion?
4. Michael tells Maggie that "there''s a big difference between
mercy and salvation" (142). What is that difference? Which
characters are pursuing mercy and which are pursuing salvation?
Which, do you think, is granted in the end for each of the main
characters?
5. Having lost a daughter and two husbands, June''s life is
fraught with grief. How do you see that grief shaping her character
and informing the choices that she makes? Do you think she makes
choices in order to reconcile the past or in hopes of a better
future?
6. How do the three religions referenced in this book (Judaism,
Christianity, Gnosticism) imagine the presence or reappearance of
the divine? Compare Michael''s vision on p. 71 with Rabbi Bloom''s
explanation of the Jewish Midrash on p. 96 and Shay''s depiction of
heaven on p.106.
7. Consider the passage on p.165 where Maggie thinks "the
penitentiary [Shay] was referring to was his own body." In what
ways are some of the other characters in this book (Claire, Maggie,
Lucius) imprisoned by their bodies?
8. Discuss June''s questions on p. 184: "Would you give up your
vengeance against someone you hate if it meant saving someone you
love? Would you want your dreams to come true if it meant granting
your enemy''s dying wish?" How do the characters answer this
question?
9. June thinks that if Claire accepted a heart transplant from
Shay Bourne and had to absorb the emotional pain of her father''s
and sister''s murders, it would be "better to have no heart at all"
(238). This statement eerily echoes Shay''s own statement to June
that her first daughter, Elizabeth, "was better off dead." How do
you feel about the adults in this novel making such grave choices
over the life of a child? Do you feel like they are being
protective or presumptuous?
10. Why do you think Shay never puts up a real fight for his
innocence? Do you believe he is resigned to his fate or is an
active participant in choosing it? Has he made the ultimate
sacrifice or is he just trying to make the most out of
circumstances beyond his control?
11. Does Change of Heart have a hero? If so, who is
it?
12. In Change of Heart, religion seems at times to
bring characters together and at others to drive a wedge between
them. Ultimately, do you think religion unites people or divides
them?
ENHANCE YOUR BOOK CLUB
1. Go to deathpenaltyinfo.org/state to see what your state laws
are regarding capital punishment. Discuss the statistics you find
there.
2. You can write letters to inmates on death row by contacting
Death Row Support Project, PO Box 600, Liberty Mills, IN 46946.
3. Save the money you''d normally spend on wine or food at your
next book club meeting. Instead, help sick kids like Claire by
donating to a children''s hospital or research fund.
4. Watch a video and listen to Jodi Picoult talk about
Change of Heart at www.jodipicoult.com/heartvideo.