Red Helmet Discussion Questions

Below are some ideas for discussion in your group. 

1. Song and Cable seem to believe it was their destiny to be together even though the circumstances were difficult. Do you believe in destiny in terms of romantic relationships? Or is it all luck and circumstance?
2. How do you see Song changing throughout the novel? How about Cable? Did he change very much or did Song have to do the changing?
3. Song’s mother died trying to climb a mountain while Song was still an infant. How do you think that affected Song’s attitude toward life?
4. When Song looks out at Highcoal for the first time, she instantly disliked it. Why do you think she had that opinion?
5. Why did Song’s first visit to Highcoal go so wrong? Was it her fault? Cable’s? Or did the people of the town not give her a chance?
6. What do you think would have happened if Song had not returned to Highcoal for Squirrel’s funeral? How would Song and Cable’s story played out?
7. What did Song learn about herself when she took her red cap training? What did she learn about Cable? The people of Highcoal?
8. Could you go into a coal mine? How do you think you would feel? Did you get a sense of what it was like by reading this novel?
9. What do you think happened to Song and Cable after the end of the novel? Would you like to read a sequel?
10. Other than Song and Cable, who was your favorite character in the novel and why?