Synopses & Reviews
Here is one of those rare and remarkable debuts that herald the appearance of a major new talent on the literary scene. Inspired by real events,
Lay That Trumpet In Our Hands is a wise and luminous story about a northern family, a southern town, and the senseless murder that sparks an extraordinary act of courage.
To this day, my family is in disagreement as to precisely when the nightmare began. For me, it was the morning Daddy and Luther discovered Marvin, beaten, shot, and dying, in the Klans stomping grounds off Round Lake Road. My brother Ren disagrees. He points to the small cluster of scars that begin just outside his left eye and trail horizontally across his temple to the top of his ear. Ren claims it started when the men in white robes took the unprecedented step of shooting at two white children. Others say it was when Mr. Thurgood Marshall of the NAACP and Mr. Hoovers FBI came to town. Mother and Daddy shake their heads. In their minds, the real beginning was much earlier....
About the Author
Susan Carol McCarthy lives in Carlsbad, California. Her acclaimed debut novel, Lay That Trumpet in Our Hands, was the winner of the 2003 Chautauqua South Fiction Award and was named one of the Best Fiction Books of 2002 by San Diego Magazine.
Reading Group Guide
1. LAY THAT TRUMPET IN OUR HANDS opens with an evocative description of
Florida as the “baby sister to the Belles.” What do these initial paragraphs indicate about the states economic and social history?
2. Before reading the novel, were you aware of the Ku Klux Klans activities in Florida during the first half of the twentieth century? Do you believe that race relations evolved differently in Florida than in the rest of the South?
3. In what ways do the McMahons embody Floridas contradictions?
4. What characteristics does a young narrator impart to a tale as wrenching as Reesas? Which traits make her a particularly appropriate guide for us? How might the story have changed if told from her brother Rens point of view?
5. Do Reesas role models—her mother and father, Doto, Luther, and Armetta—provide her with contradictory or consistent messages about human nature? What are some examples?
6. In chapter nine, May Carols mother begs Armetta to return to her job in their household. What does this scene reveal about the balance of power between adults and children in Mayflower, and between blacks and whites? Were you surprised that Mr. Garnet made no effort to hide his KKK robe from Armetta?
7. Discuss the authors many references to baseball. How does baseball enhance the novels plot and tone?
8. Religion figures prominently in LAY THAT TRUMPET IN OUR HANDS, from the Marvins lessons in Bible study to the horrific Klan bombings of Catholic and Jewish citizens. How do these myriad experiences shape Reesas understanding of God? How does her faith change throughout the book?
9. The Red Scare is an important historical backdrop for the novel. In what way did the Klan align itself with those who feared a Communist insurgency?
10. Whose “hands” are implied by the title, in your opinion? Who are their contemporary equivalents?
11. What does the correspondence between Reesa and Vaylie teach both girls about life outside their own families? What do the letters convey to us that isnt disclosed in the main storyline?
12. Two background characters, Maybelle Mason and Lucy Garnet, add an interesting perspective to the role of women in Mayflower. In what way does each womans tragedy affect your understanding of this town?
13. The women of Luthers “C.I.A.” were crucial to a courtroom victory. How do they compare to the novels other female characters?
14. The Florida landscape makes an intriguing backdrop for this novel, complete with a swimming hole restored at the books conclusion. Discuss the influence of setting on your imagination as you read LAY THAT TRUMPET IN OUR HANDS.
15. In her authors note, Susan Carol McCarthy emphasizes the fact that the characters Reed Garnet, J.D. Bowman, and their families are completely fictional: “The real Klansmen who roamed the back roads and groves of our area, including those who were indicted by the federal grand jury, have their own stories. Which, of course, are theirs to tell.” What do you imagine those stories might say? What motivated this novels antagonists?
16. How did the civil rights movement affect your community?
17. Susan Carol McCarthy began writing this novel as a gift for her father, whose heroism in Florida inspired the character of Warren McMahon. Who are the Warrens and Luthers in your life?
The questions, discussion topics, and author biography that follow are intended to enhance your reading of Susan Carol McCarthys LAY THAT TRUMPET IN OUR HANDS. We hope they will enrich your experience of this deeply affecting novel.
Author Q&A
To listen to Michigan State University’s One Book, One Community program interview with both the author and Evangeline Moore, the 77-year-old daughter of Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore whose murders by the KKK figure prominently in Lay That Trumpet In Our Hands, please visit http://spartanpodcast.com/?p=303.