Livesey, Margot: * 1953

The Road from Belhaven, 2024 - Thematic Parallels: Self-Discovery

Livesey, Margot: The Road from Belhaven, 2024
The novel centers around coming of age, identity, and the tension between destiny and self-determination, all set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Scotland.
The following books are thematically simliar. Having read "The Road from Belhaven," the following texts lend themselves well to being read in groups, compared with one another, or used to teach a similar topic over an extended period with a class:
- Danticat, Edwidge: Breath, Eyes, Memory, 1994, æpp;110pp
  The novel explores a young woman’s journey to adulthood amid family secrets, trauma, and the search for self-determination.
  Despite their differences in setting and style—"Breath, Eyes, Memory" is lyrical and direct, while "The Road from Belhaven" is more atmospheric and introspective—both novels explore how young women survive, remember, and reclaim power in patriarchal worlds. They align in their nuanced portrayals of identity, loss, resilience, and the complex inheritance passed from mothers to daughters.
- Proulx, Annie: The Shipping News, 1993, ~330pp
  F The novel follows a protagonist rebuilding life after personal tragedy, discovering community and self-worth in a new environment—similar to Lizzie’s journey to Glasgow and her quest for independence.
  Both works align in their psychological depth, atmospheric settings, and meditative explorations of identity, belonging, and recovery. Both novels suggest that healing is a quiet, ongoing process shaped by place, memory, and quiet strength.
- Salinger, J. D.: The Catcher in the Rye, 1951, ~220pp
  This novel centers on personal growth, alienation, and finding one’s place in the world.
  While "The Catcher in the Rye" is rooted in mid-20th-century American angst and "The Road from Belhaven" in historical Scottish realism, both novels explore the interior lives of young people facing the collapse of certainty. Their alignment lies in emotional truth rather than plot: a deep, resonant inquiry into what it means to grow up, see the world clearly, and live with what you find.
- Walker, Alice: The Color Purple, 1982, ~300pp
  The novel follows the life of Celie, an African American woman in the early 20th century, as she overcomes trauma and oppression to find her voice and independence. Like Lizzie, Celie faces societal judgment and limited choices but ultimately asserts her autonomy.
  Both novels deal with how personal and collective trauma influence identity, relationships, and healing. They use narrative voice, thematic focus on gender and power, and symbolic settings to explore nuanced human experiences.
List of general discussion questions on Self-Discovery (pdf)
List of essay prompts on Self-Discovery (pdf)