Dahila claims (p 69-70) that there are three kinds of people, those who flee from trauma, those who approach but fail to offer comfort and those (the rare kind) who can stare into the lonely, mysterious everlasting right alongside you, who can hold your hand, and who do not flinch from any part of whatever horrendous ordeal is at hand.
She then explains she has all three in her own family. 1.Danny, 2. Margalit who might hang around emoting and whatnot so long as it was mildly entertaining. and 3. One of the rare few; Bruce. God bless him and keep him far away from illness.
Do you think she assessed her father accurately? Why did none of the anger she held at Danny and Margalit spill over onto Bruce? Did he not fail/betray her too in some way?
Did his devotion through her illness somehow make up for his emotional unavailability during the rest of her life?
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
brotherly love?
Daniel. Shittiest big brother since Cain, you'd better believe it.
Did Daniel love Dahlia?
The book seemed to suggest that there was something different/wrong about him from birth. Was that what led to his abuse of his sister or was she simply the scapegoat for his own torment about his parents failed relationship?
Do you think he will be haunted by Dahlia's death as she hoped?
Did Daniel love Dahlia?
The book seemed to suggest that there was something different/wrong about him from birth. Was that what led to his abuse of his sister or was she simply the scapegoat for his own torment about his parents failed relationship?
Do you think he will be haunted by Dahlia's death as she hoped?
You can do it!
"Upon discharge form the hospital on the eighth day they went directly to the bookstore. This is what Jews do when the shit hits the fan: Go find some books. Bruce and Margalit were revived in the search, some spring in their steps now, can-do crowding out despair. They'd whip cancer's ass, to be sure, with the help of Barnes & Noble."
In the store Dahlia finds "The Book" It's Up to You: The Cancer To-Do List which becomes the foil for her attitude through the rest of the story. Why do you think she was drawn to Gene and his advice? In the contrast b/w Gene and Dahlia did you find one approach to terminal cancer more compelling?
When The Book is joined with Margalit's obsession about healthy eating and the cancer groups dogged optimism, what do you think the author was saying about typical, "fight the good fight" approaches to illness?
In the store Dahlia finds "The Book" It's Up to You: The Cancer To-Do List which becomes the foil for her attitude through the rest of the story. Why do you think she was drawn to Gene and his advice? In the contrast b/w Gene and Dahlia did you find one approach to terminal cancer more compelling?
When The Book is joined with Margalit's obsession about healthy eating and the cancer groups dogged optimism, what do you think the author was saying about typical, "fight the good fight" approaches to illness?
Monday, July 14, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
narrative voice
How did you expereince the narrator of the story? Did it ever confuse you, as to who it was?
Shades of journal or memoir, yet obviously not Dahlia. What was gained by this style of telling?
Shades of journal or memoir, yet obviously not Dahlia. What was gained by this style of telling?
feminine and lovely and floral
Dahlia: Discuss.
What were your first impressions of Dahlia?
Did they change through the book?
What was engaging about her?
What was repulsive about her?
Did she indeed "need help?"
What were your first impressions of Dahlia?
Did they change through the book?
What was engaging about her?
What was repulsive about her?
Did she indeed "need help?"
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