When it comes to discussion groups, there are few mysteries that have as many points for discussion as Big Wheat by Richard A Thompson. And it is a great read as well! The story centers on Charlie Krueger, a young man whose family owns a small wheat farm in the northern Midwest. Charlie's older brother, Rob, was the favorite son, the one to inherit the farm, but goes off to WWI and gets himself killed. Charlie, who, in his father's eyes could never take his brother's place, is left to help out his drunkard father who bullies Charlie, his sister, Ruthie, and their mom.

Points to consider - please note that the questions should be read as the book is read to avoid spoiling the ending of Charlie's tale.

The author starts off the story with the setting thrown in with the plot. Do you get the feel of the location as the character’s story is told?

The evil the character does is meant by him to be a healing for the land. How did he come to feel this way?

The second chapter tells Charlie’s story up to the point where these two characters meet in the wheat field. Do the background stories of each of these characters differ? What does this tell you about the two characters?

The chapter ends with the suppositions of why young people leave home. Are these still true nearly 90 years later?

“It had never occurred to Charlie that he might live long enough to see the passing of an entire era.” chapter 3. Compare Charlie in the 1910’s with young people living today. Would most young people have the same thought now? What eras have you witnessed that passed within your lifetime?

Charlie has a confrontation with the farmer who is unwilling to pay him and takes meat and eggs as security. The farmer was a crook and a bully. Do you think Charlie was right to take the food as security? Was there any other way the outcome would have come out fair to Charlie?

“We might not have much in the way of scenery around here, he thought, but we sure as hell have sky.” Chapter 5. Have you ever been to the open plains area? Can you attest to this statement?

What purpose does the Indian, George Ravenwing, serve in the story?

In chapter 5 we hear more from the ‘Windmill Man’ about his reasons for killing. The prairie grasses that continued year after year had deeper root systems than the wheat which is planted, grows and is harvested once or even twice a year in southern areas.

When Charlie falls in with Jim Avery he is quickly able to prove his ability to read people and how they will act. But can he read everyone – women as well as men? Lawmen as well as farmers? What makes this capability so important to Jim?

Sheriff Hollander goes far out of his jurisdiction looking for Charlie when Mabel turns up missing. Had he found Charlie, would he have listened to his story or was his mind made up? Did finding Mabel’s body (Chapter 8) change anything?

Throughout the story, Charlie remembers things his brother had told him – how to fight, how he had to make something of himself, etc. Was the brother always right?

Near the end of the story is a showdown. Did Jim Avery have to die in the story? Could Charlie have gone on working with Jim and his ‘family’ and been the same person in the end? Or did Charlie need to prove himself by becoming the new leader of the ark?