1. Wide popularity of the novel? Adaptation? Audience expectations?

    2. The North Carolina settings, the marsh, the swamps, location scenery, bird and creature life, the home, Kya’s heart? The town, prison, the court? The musical score?

1. The title, evocative, the marsh, remoteness, the birds, singing? Kya and her refuge in the marsh?
2. The story as murder mystery, the opening, Chase, his death, the tower, the hole, blood and hair evidence, no footprints, no clues? The arrest of Kya, her age, reputation, attitude of the town, in the cell, Tom and his visit, offer of help? Her opening up?
3. The transition to the bulk of the film as a portrait of Kya, the flashbacks to her childhood in the marsh, mother and suffering, leaving, brothers and sisters, departure, her cruel father, his background in the war, aftermath and stress? Alone with her father? Her age, the 1950s, the boat, observing nature, the encounter with Tate, the sharing of feathers, the bonding? Her living in isolation?
4. Going to the store, Mabel and Jumpin, their friendship, helping, her collecting the mussels, exchanging them for goods? Her being able to go to them for support? The presence in the court?
5. The return to the murder issue, the court sequences, the prosecution and attack, the jurors, chases mother and her bitterness, Tom and his defence, calm? Reassuring Kya?
6. The return to the portrait of Kya, the early 1960s, her father’s disappearance, living alone, making a home for herself, shy, withdrawn, her sketches? The encounter with Tate, the friendship, sharing, feathers, her falling in love, Tate and his age, prospects, scholarship, science and investigations, bond with his father? Love for Kya, the sexual encounter, his respect for her? His promise, leaving, disappearing? Her hurt?
7. And the return to the court, the further evidence, the reconstruction of the scene? Kya, her alibi, travelling to the conference, staying away from the town? The implausibility of her returning to kill Chase?
8. The further portrait of Kya, age, her disillusionment with Tate, the encounter with Chase? Chase, his personality, coming on to her, his friends, talk, the final revolution revelation of his engagement? The outings with Kya, her attraction, shared experiences? A different world? Her anger with him? His coming onto her, the sexual aggression, her rejection, strong stance?
9. Her brother’s return and her joy, learning about her mother?
10. Tate, the addresses of the publishers, her keeping it, later sending to the publishers, the range of sketches, their acceptance, money issues and her wanting to buy the rights to her house, the further books, promotion in the town? The conference, the testimony in court of the publisher?
11. The acquittal, Tate and his return, asking forgiveness, her mellowing? His presence in the court?
12. The passing of the years, quickly, marriage, celebration, children, the continued work and observations, the couple getting older, Kya and her death, Tate looking at her sketches, the book, the sketch of Chase, her labelling him as the predator? And the solution to the mystery? Tate’s bewilderment, the audience’s bewilderment?