Here are the questions for today's classwork if you weren't able to finish in class. I could not find a link for the story, so just do your best from memory.
Thinking About the Selection
6a. What hints does Beattie provide that the relationship between the young woman and David is somewhat strained?
6b. What might be the main cause of this tension?
7a. How is the old man's attitude toward his sister similar to David's attitude toward the young woman?
7b. In what sense is the young woman's situation similar to the sister's situation?
7c. What is ironic, or surprising, about the sister's final comment?
8. What do you think the snow symbolizes, or represents, in the story?
9. Do you think it would be possible for the young woman to change her situation? Why or why not?
Analyzing Literature
"Imagined Scenes" is written in a postmodern format. It's written in a broken sequence of scenes that reflect the disjointed, fragmentary quality of contemporary life.
1. How are the beginning and ending of the stor unlike those in traditional short stories?
2. Why is the overall structure of the story appropriate for its subject?
3. What does the story suggest about the ability of people in contemporary society to communicate with one another?
Critical Thinking and Reading
In her story, Beattie captures the human tendency to think metaphorically, or to seek and understand the world through comparisons.
1. What do the postcards represent to the old man?
2. What do the scenes the young woman imagines represent to her?
