What role does storytelling play in the text? How do the traditional and family stories Sophie turns to for help in understanding her life serve to convey the novel’s themes?

Why is it important that Martine dies at the end of the novel? What role does her death play in connection to the theme(s) of the novel and the character(s)?

Early on, Martine presents Joseph as a threatening presence—akin to an evil spirit that lurks, waiting to prey on young girls like Sophie. What is his real role in the novel and in Sophie’s life? Consider both direct and indirect characterization.