Group work on
Jessica Amanda Salmonson's "Parenting"
(from A Silver Thread of Madness)
Break up into small groups. Delegate one or more members of your group
to (1)
prepare a summary of your
group's discussion and (2) make a list of your group's members.
Discuss your answers to the following questions (changing names and details to protect confidentiality:
1. Do
you know anyone who has had children for the
wrong reasons? What were their reasons? What would have
been better
reasons?
2. Do you know any parents who complain that their children are
no good
or should not have been born?
3. Why did the child in this story run away?
4. Did the runaway's parents love him more after he ran
away? Did
they ever love him at all? Why or why not? What ode your
answer
tell you about your understanding of "love."
5. What do you think might have inspired Salmonson
to write this story?
M. Kagan, PHL 403, Senior Seminar on Heroism and the Human Spirit, Le Moyne College, November 2004
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