1. When Alice becomes disoriented in Harvard Square, a place she's visited daily for twenty-five years, why doesn't she tell John? Is she too afraid to face a possible illness, worried about his possible reaction, or some other reason?
Yes...all of the above.2. After first learning she has Alzheimer's disease, "the sound of her name penetrated her every cell and seemed to scatter her molecules beyond the boundaries of her own skin. She watched herself from the far corner of the room" (pg. 70). What do you think of Alice's reaction to the diagnosis? Why does she disassociate herself to the extent that she feels she's having an out-of-body experience?
Alice feels like a part of her has died. She probably feels like one of those people you see in the movies in a hospital scene floating above her body and looking down at herself. I think Alice hearing the diagnosis was one of the hardest parts of the book. She knew in her heart that something was wrong, but to actually hear someone tell you a diagnosis is a whole other thing.3. Do you find irony in the fact that Alice, a Harvard professor and researcher, suffers from a disease that causes her brain to atrophy? Why do you think the author, Lisa Genova, chose this profession? How does her past academic success affect Alice's ability, and her family's, to cope with Alzheimer's?
I believe that Alice was fortunate to have her brain as healthy and intelligent as she did before Alzheimers set in. I wish I could be a professor at Harvard!! Not too many people can say that they teach Harvard students. I do believe that because of her academic success, this disease is much harder for Alice and her family to cope with.4. "He refused to watch her take her medication. He could be mid-sentence, mid-conversation, but if she got out her plastic, days-of-the-week pill container, he left the room" (pg. 89). Is John's reaction understandable? What might be the significance of him frequently fiddling with his wedding ring when Alice's health is discussed?
I think John felt as though his marriage was already over. He felt like he already lost Alice as soon as her brain started deteriorating. I truly think that he couldn't bear to help Alice or talk about her health.5. When Alice's three children, Anna, Tom and Lydia, find out they can be tested for the genetic mutation that causes Alzheimer's, only Lydia decides she doesn't want to know. Why does she decline? Would you want to know if you had the gene?
Lydia probably feels like she would disappoint her mother if she knew that she inherited it as well. Lydia also was more of the wandering soul that would rather live life than live knowing that you were going to end up with Alzheimers. 6. Why is her mother's butterfly necklace so important to Alice? Is it only because she misses her mother? Does Alice feel a connection to butterflies beyond the necklace?
The butterfly necklace symbolizes a change. Alice does change once diagnosed with Alzheimers, however, the butterfly can also symbolize freedom which Alice also gets when diagnosed with Alzheimers in the aspect that she is freed from her obligations at Harvard. She is freed from the expectations that everyone forced on her during her life. She was all of a sudden free to enjoy life and do as she wants to.7. Do you enjoy this book? Rate it on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the best. Why?
I would rate this book a 3. It was an easy read but had a disturbing topic to me. My own grandfather had dementia and it was incredibly hard to read some of the deteriorating moments for Alice. I imagined how my grandfather felt when he didn't recognize us or remember something correctly. I would recommend it to anyone entering the health field that will be dealing with people with Alzheimers.
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less by Terry Ryan
