Auntie jean

“Don’t Mess With Auntie Jean” Name:________________________________

Article Questions

1. What is the main purpose of Smith’s narrative? In what ways does this story shape her understanding of herself and her family?

2. How does Smith create a mental picture of the scene in the roller rink? Which sensory details are particularly effective in helping the reader feel present at the “standoff” between O.L. Underwood and Auntie Jean?

3. Why does Smith begin the essay with a series of humorous anecdotes about her Auntie Jean before beginning the core story of her narrative? What effect does this introduction have on the narrative’s impact?

4. The author includes dialogue between her and her relatives. What does this use of dialogue add to the story? What does the dialogue reveal to the reader?

5. How does Smith react when she discovers the old newspaper article in the scrapbook? What realizations prompt her dramatic response?

6. What impact does the inclusion of the picture create? How does the contrast between the printed article and the handwritten comment influence the reader’s understanding of the narrative?

7. Smith writes, “History is written by the victors.” What does she mean by this? How can this old adage be applied to her story of her Auntie Jean’s confrontation in the roller rink?

8. Throughout the story, Smith uses occasional simple sentence constructions for dramatic effect” “My heart stopped,” “I was shocked,” and “ I was shattered.” How do these simple, declarative sentences impact the reader? How do they impact the flow of the narrative?

9. How would you describe the author’s style in this narrative? What factors lead you to that characterization? How does the author’s conversation style impact the reader’s understanding and appreciation of the narrative?

10. Overall, how effective is Smith’s story about her Auntie Jean and her subsequent discovery of the newspaper article? How do her concluding lines (“the story would live on. And it would be the Auntie Jean version.”) impact the reader’s empathy toward the narrator?

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