Themes to explore:

Our purpose in life is a key theme in this story. Discussion points:

Trying to make other people fit into a mould we have in mind for them.
It is unclear where Ellen was going on her journey, other than “away” from people she feared would exploit her. Do we know where we are ‘going’ in life? What motivates and influences us when it comes to finding a direction in life?
Wouter ended up feeling fulfilled at the expense of Ellen, but only after being devious. What are the structures in society which mirror this? How do we exploit others ourselves?

Other starters for discussion: Christian Aid’s report from 2015, The World We Want to See: Perspectives on Post-2015 brings together articles from 17 Christian Aid partners around the world, articulating their priorities and hopes for a post-2015 global development agenda. It is introduced by Christian Aid Chair, Dr Rowan Williams, and covers a wide-range of subjects, from climate change to tax justice, maternal health to caste-based discrimination.