Last Summer (31 page)

1.
Talk about how Meg’s perception of Rosie changes over the course of the story. For example, at one point Meg tells us she has always felt protective of Rosie. How does she come to realize that her friend has hidden reserves of strength?

2.
Talk about how Rosie’s perception of Meg changes over the course of the story. For example, at one point Rosie tells us she has always seen Meg as the strong one. How does she come to realize that Meg is vulnerable, too?

3.
Though she loves her mother, Meg is determined not to follow in her footsteps and wind up with a deadbeat ex-husband and struggling to make ends meet. Do you think Meg will succeed in her determination to go to college and build a successful career? Do you think she will be a happy woman?

4.
At the end of the story, Rosie looks forward to a productive future, perhaps as a writer or working in the elder care industry. Where do you see her in ten years’ time? Twenty? Looking back on her childhood and adolescence, how do you think the adult Rosie will assess her parents’ marriage and the family’s dynamic?

5.
Do you think Meg and Rosie’s friendship will survive into adulthood?

6.
Was Frannie wrong not to hide the extent of her ex-husband’s poor character from her daughter? Or is brutal honesty best in such a situation? Do you think Frannie will be as open about Peter’s character with her son when he reaches Meg’s age? If not, why?

7.
Jane loves her husband and feels very dependent upon him as the stronger and more courageous person in the relationship. And if not a particularly effusive man, Mike seems to be an attentive husband. Given what relatively little we know of it, what is your opinion of the Pattersons’ marriage? If you could predict the future for Jane and Mike, what would it be?

8.
Both Jane and Frannie talk about the frustrations of being a parent—damned if you care too much and damned if you don’t care enough. With this in mind, talk about each woman’s parenting choices. For example, Frannie’s mother told her that privacy is earned and only for adults, and yet Frannie has difficulty agreeing with that assessment and chooses not to investigate Meg’s use of the Internet. Interestingly, Jane, who is a helicopter parent in many ways, never once thinks to read her daughter’s diary. How do you explain each woman’s choices? Do you think Jane and Frannie really trust their daughters and respect their privacy, or do you think each woman is simply afraid of what she might find if she engages in active monitoring?

9.
In what circumstances would you read your child’s private diary or journal? In what circumstances would you track her use of the Internet and social media services? The idea of privacy has changed enormously in the past few years. Is reading someone’s private, handwritten papers different from tracking her e-mails or her online profiles? If so, in what ways? And is one more or less acceptable than the other? When, if ever, is it okay for a teacher or caregiver other than a parent to infringe upon a child’s privacy?

10.
Consider the four main characters—Jane, Rosie, Frannie, and Meg. Jane blames herself for being overprotective of her daughter and for an emotional cowardice that put her daughter’s physical and mental health in jeopardy. Rosie, for a time, blames herself for the unhappiness of everyone around her, as well as for being the cause of her own bullying. Frannie blames herself for being too busy to be a better parent, and for being ungrateful for the good things in her life. And Meg blames herself for being a lousy friend and a disappointing daughter. In each case, when is self-blame or guilt healthy, and when does it become an indulgence and a liability?

11.
The theme of forgiveness looms large in this story. Talk about each character’s journey toward real forgiveness, of herself and of others. For example, what do you think really stands in the way of Jane reconciling with Frannie? Meg wonders if her father will ever ask her forgiveness for being a bad parent and also wonders if she’ll be able to forgive him whether he asks for forgiveness or not. What do you think will become of that damaged relationship? Rosie’s therapist tells her that she’ll have to first forgive herself before she can truly forgive others. Do you think that by the story’s end Rosie has come to understand this concept? The ability to forgive seems to come fairly easily for Frannie, at least when it’s toward her daughter and best friend. She says that she doesn’t hate Peter any longer, but do you think she has really forgiven her ex-husband for being neglectful of his family?

12.
Some people argue that no one deserves forgiveness, rather that it’s a gift freely given by the one who has been wronged. Do you think that a person must accept the gift of forgiveness offered her and admit to feeling remorse in order for the “transaction” to be completed? Or is there really such a thing as “unilateral forgiveness”? Talk about these ideas, considering, for example, Meg’s and then Stella’s apology to Rosie.

13.
Meg recalls Father William suggesting that forgiveness is an act of courage that involves the capacity for imagination. Talk about this idea.

14.
Talk about your own experiences with bullying, or “relational aggression,” as a child and as an adult. Do you think bullying is on the rise, or has our awareness of it simply increased? Cyber-bullying is a relatively new form of harassment, one that can be particularly invasive and destructive. Discuss how it differs from face-to-face bullying.

15.
Traditionally, boys and girls have engaged in different types of harassment. In general, boys who bully feel the need to be powerful and in control; they take pleasure in the suffering of others. Some of their most common weapons are physical assault, threats, theft, and blackmail. In general, girls who bully seek social dominance by excluding others from the network of friends. Some of their most common weapons are spreading damaging rumors, withdrawal of friendship, name calling, and the silent treatment. Talk about these differences. In what ways are male and female bullies similar?