The Sweet Hereafter

How does each character use their chapter as a chance to explain and rationalize their behavior? How does the fact that each narrator is looking back on past events complicate their act of giving a “true” account of what occurred?

Was Nichole’s decision to lie about the accident “just”? Why or why not?

What role do secrets play in these characters’ lives? In particular, how do secrets—such as the sexual abuse of Nichole by her father and the affair between Ansel and Risa—complicate the idea of personal responsibility, motivation, empathy, and judgment?