View Park by Angela Winters

Discussion Questions

 1. The tension between Steven and Carter exist throughout the book and has been there for a long time. Why? Is Carter’s choice not to work at Chase Beauty really the source of the conflict? Is Steven jealous of Carter? Is Carter purposefully trying to defy him? If yes, why and if not, why doesn’t he want to work at Chase Beauty? 

2. Haley is more than just a spoiled debutante. Why is she so angry and whom is her anger really directed at? Why does she seem to go out of her way to not care about people? What impact does Janet’s enabling of her behavior have on her choices? Is she insecure or does she honestly not want to fall in love? 

3. Carter and Michael are as close as brothers can be, yet they have an intense fight scene. Were they fighting over Carter’s contract with Avery or something else? How can they be best friends and competitors at the same time? Why does Michael feel threatened by Steven’s desire to include Carter in Chase Beauty? 

4. Throughout the novel, Avery is conflicted with her growing attraction to Carter and her feelings for Alex. Before he cheated, she wanted to make things work with Alex. Was that out of strength and loyalty or was it out of fear and insecurity?  If it hadn’t been for Alex’s cheating, would Avery have found another excuse to sleep with Carter? 

5. The dynamics between Steven and Michael are exhibited in Michael’s desire to stay home to prove himself as well as the men’s encounter after Michael and Carter get into a fight in the living room. Why does Michael need to prove himself to a father who seems to have clearly chosen him as favorite son? After Michael says he plans to win a fight between him and Carter one day, why does Steven smile in approval one second and then put him down the next? 

6. Race is rarely mentioned in View Park, with class being the major separation issue. What role does race place in the novel? What role has race played in the life of the Chase family and the Jackson family? What aspects of race did you think were missing from the book?

7. Is Janet Chase a good mother? Is her desire to keep Sean away from Haley or Leigh away from the clinic for selfish, hypocritical reasons or does she really think she is doing what is best for her children? Does she make Leigh feel compelled to please her? Why does she focus so much of her energy on her daughters and not her sons? What is at the core of her Valium use and what do you think this is leading to?

 8. In View Park, the issue of class is prominent. The world that defines the Chase family is about wealth and social standing.  How does their wealth and privilege play in their internal conflicts and dysfunctional relationships with each other?  How does their status as larger than life characters to the black community affect their interactions with other people? 

9. In the beginning of the story, we read that the Chases live like a family from Bel Air, Beverly Hills or Hollywood Hills, but do it in View Park, an affluent mostly black community. What was unique about View Park and other communities like Baldwin Hills being the setting and how did it enhance or take away from the story? 

10. Chase family characters are purposefully larger than life and the situations they and the Jackson family members find themselves in are extraordinary. Despite your daily life, not including exploding salons or witnessing drug deals at sea, can you relate to any of these characters? Were their internal struggles similar to any you have had? 

11. Did certain parts of the novel make you feel uncomfortable?  Which parts and why did they make you feel that way? Do you see anything differently after examining what was behind your discomfort? How does their wealth and privilege play in their internal conflicts and dysfunctional relationships with each other?  How does their status as larger than life characters to the black community affect their interactions with other people?

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