Minister Without Portfolio

1. Henry experiences life-threatening situations deep in a mine, in the desert sands of Afghanistan, at the bottom of a garbage incinerator, and out on the ocean. Discuss the metaphoric meaning of these incidents and how they affect the course of Henry’s life.

2. How does the author progressively develop Henry’s determined attempts to renovate the old house at Renews as a metaphor for his need to change his way of life?

3. Tender Morris gives Henry the nickname “minister without portfolio” and explains “You’re not committed to anything but you got a hand in everywhere” (p. 33). What are your thoughts on this assessment of Henry’s character? What does Henry think about that title by the end of the book?

4. Tender and John talk with Henry about “seeking roots in a rootless tradition” and “of making a family and owning something old, of cherishing the past” (p. 38). How does this idea become a major theme of the novel and the impetus of Henry’s growth as a character?

5. The community of Renews, Newfoundland, is closely knit, and while it is warm-hearted, it also has a tendency to keep outsiders at a distance. How does Henry succeed in being accepted into the community while Rick Tobin and Larry Noyce do not?

6. Although Tender Morris only appears briefly in the novel, his influence on the other characters is lasting. Discuss how Tender’s actions and his approach to life have an impact on Henry and his friends.

7. After almost sleeping with Martha in a mutual booze-fuelled outburst of grief, Henry thinks “I am a good man ... but I’m not a good man” (p. 56). What are your feelings toward the character of Henry Hayward? Do you identify with him? Do you agree with this quote?

8. “This man in the mirror has never owned a house, all he’s owned are contents. I’ve never owned people, and people have never owned me” (p. 85). Henry makes this statement while looking at himself in the mirror in Nellie’s bedroom. Discuss this moment of self-realization and how it pertains to the major themes of the novel.

9. What scene in the book had the most impact on you as a reader and why?