THE STORMS OF EDDIE GREER

By Mary Perrine

 

Discussion Questions

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FAMILY:

Approximately 2.5 percent of American children under the age of 18 are adopted. (Famous adoptees: Steve Jobs, Babe Ruth, Melissa Gilbert, Nelson Mandela, Nancy Reagan, Eleanor Roosevelt.) 

1. When Becca learned she was adopted, she went off the deep end. Why was that discovery a breaking point for her? 

2. In your opinion, at what age should children learn they are adopted? Is there any situation that would change your answer?

 

TRUTH:

Sometimes, searching for the truth is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Even when it is found, it may not look the same to each searcher.

1. Becca wanted to know the truth about her birth family. Do you believe she had a right to know everything? Why?

2. Potential adoptive parents complete a checklist as to what they will and will not accept in an adopted child. (i.e. cleft palate, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, club foot, etc.) What are your feelings about this practice? Also, would you be willing to tell your adopted child you would not have accepted him or her had they had any mental or physical issues? 

 

FAITH:

Martin Luther King said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

1. Why did Becca lose faith in God once she discovered she was adopted?

2. Share a time when you have lost faith in God, something, or someone else. What caused this to happen?

 

CONTROL:

“Control your own destiny or someone else will.” -Jack Welch

1. Becca grew up in a religious group that controlled every aspect of her family’s life. Why did she rebel?

2. The difference between a cult and a church (or organization) lies in the accountability of the leaders. A healthy institution has leaders who look out for the well-being of everyone. Have you ever been involved in a group that seemed more cultish than healthy? Explain.  

 

IDENTITY:

Simplified, a person’s identity is created by a lot of little boxes they (or others) put themselves into (culture, upbringing, personality, education, experiences, etc.). That identity affects the way they think and act.

1. What events from Becca’s past affected her identity? 

2. What “boxes” have you (or others) put yourself into that have impacted your identity?

 

CAUSE AND EFFECT:

For every effect, there is a cause. Any action, behavior, or thought could be the catalyst that sets something in motion—positively or negatively.

1. What caused Becca to seek revenge rather than search for answers?

2. Think of a negative situation in your life. What was the cause? Looking back, were the effect and the cause equal, or did one far outweigh the other? Explain.

 

GOOD VS. EVIL:

Simplified: If good is morally right, then evil is morally wrong.   

1. Some might consider Becca to be evil. They might also think of her alter, Terah, as good. How did Terah help Becca obtain what she wanted?

2. There is a saying that claims you attract more bees with honey than vinegar. Can you provide an example of when this has been true in your life?

 

REVENGE:

If wounds are nurtured, they grow. 

1. How was this true for Becca? What wounds was she nurturing?

2. When you were hurt by a person or event, what is something you did rather than seek revenge? In hindsight, would you handle it the same way again?

 

PERCEPTION:

Your perception is your reality. In other words, an idea, belief, sight, or thought that your brain believes is true, is reality—for you. (i.e. Two people can see the same exact event, but based on past experiences, they may not describe it the same way.)

1. Becca believed she would have been better off growing up with her birth family. After everything Mack told her, why could she not let go of that feeling? 

2. Have you ever believed something to be true, but later learned it was not? Explain.

 

MENTAL ILLNESS:

The World Health Organization (WHO) claims about 10.7% of people have some form of mental illness. These illnesses include anxiety, depression, eating disorders, autism, personality issues, behavior, etc. 

1. Becca lived with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). In 90% of the cases, DID is caused by traumatic childhood events. According to her brother, what was the cause of Becca’s DID? Why do you believe Becca was unable to get the help she needed during her childhood? 

2. Dealing with mental health issues should be no more of a taboo than dealing with physical health problems. Why do you believe so many people refuse to talk about or hide mental illnesses?

 

FINAL WORDS:

1. What thoughts were going through your head when you read the following words in the prologue?

“Rebecca Ann Hulls and Terah Marie Dixon didn’t actually exist.”

 

1. In what ways can the word “exist” be defined?

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