The Wind Knows My Name

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Discuss your overall impressions of The Wind Knows My Name. What aspects of the book did you like most and least?
• How does this novel compare to others you’ve read by Isabel Allende or to similar novels by other authors?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Explore connections between your life and the experiences of the characters, especially in any part of the novel that evoked a strong emotional response (for example, the discovery of the mass grave on Carlos Gómez’s property, Mr. Rick’s treatment of Anita, or Frank’s objectification of Selena).
• Discuss how the themes of The Wind Knows My Name (which concern the tendency to deny and thus perpetrate atrocities, finding strength in families, and the gendered differences in violent oppression) relate to your personal views or experiences.
• Allende illustrates how all women remain vulnerable when society doesn’t address crimes against them. Have you seen evidence of this in your life? If so, how did it manifest?
• The efforts of women like Selena and Doña Eduvigis highlight how dedicated individuals can bring about change. Discuss your experience of leading, participating in, or witnessing such efforts.

3. Societal and Cultural Context

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• Throughout The Wind Knows My Name, characters consistently deny that horrible things are happening. For example, many Vienna residents consider the oppression of Jewish communities temporary, insisting that the growing antisemitism will fade instead of escalating. Do you see this dynamic playing out in current events?
• The novel follows various characters across broad timelines in many settings around the world, including Nazi-occupied Vienna during World War II (1938); London (1938-1958); New Orleans, London, and Berkeley (1958-1970), El Mozote and Berkeley (1981-2000); and San Francisco, Nogales, Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Salvador, and Tucson (2019-2020). How do these settings and eras influence the characters?
• Do any of the book’s themes (Denial in the Face of Atrocities, Family as the Greatest Strength, and The Gendered Differences in Violent Oppression) remind you of things happening in the world today?

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• The Wind Knows My Name is primarily a work of historical fiction but also contains some elements of magical realism (for which Allende’s work is known). Discuss how the combination of these elements enhances the narrative.
• The novel uses a structure that alternates between the stories of different characters, jumping back and forth among their various timelines to emphasize points of connection. Did you find this structure effective? Why or why not?
• Discuss the development and relatability of key characters. Did a particular character resonate with you? If so, why?
• Though Samuel’s family sends him from Vienna to London to keep him safe, he faces significant new challenges there: Several foster families reject him, and he lives in an orphanage before the Evans adopt him. Leticia must similarly adapt to a very different life after her father takes her to the US to flee the violence in El Mozote. Explore the significance of these characters being uprooted and its contribution to the book’s tone.
• How do the novel’s symbols and motifs (which include Volker’s medal, music, and men leaving or dying) connect to the characters? Did you identify any other symbols or motifs in the book? If so, what do they represent?

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• If you were put in charge of adapting the novel into a movie or series, which would you choose and why? Who would you cast in the lead roles of Samuel Adler, Selena Durán, Leticia Cordero, Anita Díaz, and Frank Angileri? How might you approach scripting, location scouting, production design, and music?
• Create a playlist that captures the novel’s various characters, moods at different points in the story, or themes.
• Imagine a sequel or continuation of the story. Where do you think the remaining characters would go next? Envision their trajectory and influence on events and places that define them.

Need more inspiration for your next meeting? Browse all of our Book Club Resources.