Discussion Questions
How would you describe Roxane’s relationship with her mother BEFORE the pandemic?
How did the pandemic affect it?
Roxane said, “I resent my mom. Her presumption that she’d always be in fine health and of sound mind. Her refusal to acknowledge her dementia diagnosis or fill out legal paperwork, or, at least during those first months, wear a mask without an argument.”
What she describes is not an uncommon experience for many people dealing with aging parents. What are some steps a person in Roxane’s position might take to defuse the situation?
Roxane uses a series of short statements (I love, I resent, I fear . . .) to frame her story. Think about her use of these short “I” statements.
- How does it affect the tone of her story?
- How does it help to communicate her central message?
