Southern gentility is often brought up by the characters, with both Temple and Gowan repeatedly referencing their families and experiences as a kind of safety net. What is Sanctuary’s message about the idea of Southern gentility?

Though the novel focuses on Temple’s story, it begins with Horace Benbow. Why is Benbow introduced first? What does this opening say about the broader themes of the novel?

Compare the characters Temple and Ruby. How do their different social classes change their treatment within the novel?