The You I Never Knew Part 45

The novel begins with a quote by Mignon McLaughlin that reads: "Most of us become parents long before we have stopped being children." What do you think this means? And why do you think the author has chosen this quote to begin her novel?

Cody is clearly going through a rebellious phase-Sam describes him as being "mad at the world" after only spending a few hours with him. Why has Cody suddenly become hostile and sullen at age sixteen? Is his att.i.tude due to adolescence or is something else going on?

Why do you think Mich.e.l.le never told Cody who his father was? Should she have worked harder to find Sam for Cody's sake or do you understand why she made the decisions she did? Similarly, was it wrong of Mich.e.l.le not to tell Sam that she was pregnant with his son, even though she believed he had left her?

Was Sam was wrong to leave town the way he did in 1983? Should he have been in touch with Mich.e.l.le despite his circ.u.mstances?

Sam and Mich.e.l.le had a pa.s.sionate love affair when they were teenagers, but then fell out of touch for sixteen years. Yet when they reunite their attraction is as strong as ever. Do you believe that love can sustain itself even after a relations.h.i.+p dissolves? Do you think it's possible to ever forget your first love?

What do you think of Mich.e.l.le's decision to come back to Montana in order to help her father? Not only does her decision have emotional consequences, but it also has physical ones. If you were in her position, would you have done the same thing?

Mich.e.l.le and Brad have been together for three years, but they aren't married. Why is Mich.e.l.le with Brad? How is he different from Sam? Have you ever stayed in a relations.h.i.+p that didn't make you entirely happy or that lacked a certain degree of pa.s.sion?

This novel is in large part about parenting and the complicated and imperfect relations.h.i.+ps between parents and children. Discuss the different parental relations.h.i.+ps in this novel. How are the various parental figures (Mich.e.l.le, Sam, Gavin, Tammi Lee) alike? How are they different?

Mich.e.l.le is a painter, but she hasn't painted in years until she returns to Crystal City. Why is painting so important to Mich.e.l.le and why hasn't she been able to paint since leaving Montana sixteen years ago? What role does "creation" play in this novel?

What role does cla.s.s play in this novel? How do cla.s.s differences, real or perceived, affect the actions of Sam, Mich.e.l.le, Gavin, and Tammi Lee?

When Gavin admits the truth of his actions to Mich.e.l.le at the end of the book, he says, "Sometimes a parent does the wrong thing for the right reasons." What does he mean by this? Why is Mich.e.l.le able to forgive him so easily?

How do you interpret the book's t.i.tle? Who is the "you" the t.i.tle refers to?

ALSO BY SUSAN WIGGS.

Pa.s.sing Through Paradise.