Here are some potential questions to choose among for discussion.

1).....The writer, Eudora Welty, says that “all serious daring starts from within.” What choices does Helga make throughout her life that indicates her bold spirit? What appears to have shaped her strength of character and given her the confidence and courage to undertake this wager? What risks was she averse to continuing?

2)..... Helga faced fear, but chose courage, yet almost everyone assumed that what Helga and Clara planned to do was not only “outrageous, and impossible.” Why? What fears did they need to face? Did they prepare adequately, or does she appear naive to the potential dangers? Since September 11, Americans now also hear constant fear messages, often related to travel. How do you think these “fear messages” are impacting the spirit and actions of citizens?

3).....Other than what Helga told male reporters for public audiences, there are few hard facts on all of the motives that caused her to accept the wager and the strict stipulations of the sponsor. Do you imagine any other unspoken motives, besides the stated financial reasons, that might have influenced her decision?

4)..... Helga rarely admits to her discouragements, appearing to follow the western code of “swallowing your complaints; don’t talk about trouble.” In what ways does this seem helpful and/or harmful in the many challenges she encounters in life? Does this ethos still exist anywhere in American?

5).....Helga claims she left her home to save her home, an unconventional action for the conventional reason of a mother helping her family. Why were her actions seen as desertion, not devotion by some of her neighbors? How do you think her actions affected her husband, Ole, and reflected on his standing in his community? If a mother of several children in America made a similar risky choice today, what kinds of response to you think she’d receive from family, friends, and the broader culture?

6).....Victorian fashions, with the tight corsets and heavily weighted skirts, created health problems for women. Yet, though a few women argued for leg freedom in the 1890s, a physician lamented “A woman clings to her corset.” How did fashion reflect the culture for women in the Victorian era, and why did most women resist change? Does popular culture still dictate fashions today?

7).....Mary Baird Bryan, Jane Addams, and Helga Estby were born in the same year, 1860, yet by age 26 their paths differed greatly. What circumstances caused them to have quite divergent experiences, and what experiences gave them some common understanding? What advantages and disadvantages appear to affect women born into “privilege”? How much does one’s birth and family circumstances affect one’s destiny in America today?

8).....Helga and her family immigrated to America when she was 11 and she spent most of her life living within Norwegian-American communities. How could being an immigrant impact Helga’s decisions in shaping her future? Why would the Norwegian- American immigrant community be especially critical of her decisions?

9).....Helga and Clara traveled at the turn of the century, considered a transition time between the strong ideals of Victorian womanhood and the era of the “new woman.” How do you think this affected people’s response to them along the route? What transitions exist now for women at the turn of a new century?

10).....Why do you think Helga chose to bring her eldest daughter, Clara, as a traveling companion instead of having her eldest daughter stay home to help with the younger children? What were her contributions to their achievement in reaching New York?

11).....“New women” challenged the common stereotypes and assumptions about women’s physical and mental strength that existed in the Victorian era. In what ways were Helga and Clara conventional or unconventional for their era? Did the trip change this? What similar or different attitudes prevail today towards physically competitive and/or intellectual women?

12).....Although Helga didn't’t receive the financial reward and suffered immense loss, she also appeared to have gained many positive intangibles that proved important for the second half of her life. How did she change on the trip? What encouraged this?

13).....How does one know when keeping silent and secretive about family stories is destructive and oppressive, and when might it be wise and kind? Do the six threads that caused the silencing of Helga’s story resonate with other stories that you are aware have been silenced?

14).....Helga was an avid reader. What kinds of narratives were available in the 19th century that might have influenced her attitudes towards attempting the heroic journey? What female models in books, or public figures might have been influential?

15).....One of the major reasons family stories get lost is “negation by neglect” …when people just don’t bother to keep stories alive. How have stories been kept and told in your family? Have any been important to you during difficult times? Are there any that you might want to preserve?