Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Consider the ways in which an unexpected illness could affect a family. What challenges might family members face after a serious diagnosis? What changes would they need to make? What might the family feel compelled or required to do in response?

Teaching Suggestion: This question orients students with the central conflict in the plot: the onset of a serious illness of a close family member. Prior to Jeffrey’s illness, Steven is navigating teenage life in suburban America, while his parents are both working steady jobs to provide for the family; however, with the diagnosis, the family is now faced with medical bills and the possibility of Jeffrey’s death. In spite of these obstacles, Steven and his family ultimately exhibit Resilience in the Face of Adversity, particularly as they focus on The Importance of Family as they make sacrifices for Jeffrey. With sensitivity in mind for individual circumstances, you might ask students to reflect and respond independently in reading journals, as some students may have a personal connection.

• This article from National Jewish Health explores the impact of chronic illness on families.
• This article from Mayo Clinic informs readers about the different types of leukemia as well as its symptoms and causes.

2. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a “bildungsroman” is the literary term that refers to “a novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character.” Think of a story from a book, film, or television series that could be classified as a bildungsroman. How does it fit the definition? What are some of the obstacles that the protagonist faces?

Teaching Suggestion: This question invites students to consider familiar bildungsroman narratives that fit within the category of a Coming of Age work. For students who struggle developing ideas, you might consider providing a few examples for them to explore and choose from. The second link below may be helpful in this regard.

• This article from University of California Santa Barbara’s The Bottom Line explores contemporary Coming of Age classics.
• This teacher-facing resource from Manasquan Schools’ Literary Movement for Students shares information related to authors of and themes in bildungsroman novels.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

What does the word “resilience” mean to you? Think of a time when you or someone you know was resilient in a difficult situation. What happened? What was the outcome?

Teaching Suggestion: This Personal Connection Prompt invites students to consider the theme of Resilience in the Face of Adversity from their own perspective. Throughout the novel, each of the characters who are close to the Alper family is troubled by Jeffrey’s diagnosis and must overcome adversity in some sense, while the parents and Steven must learn to deal with their new circumstances. The article below considers the nuances of the term and may help promote discussion. This Prompt segues to the Discussion/Analysis Prompt.

• This article from Psych Central discusses the positive and negative connotations of resilience as a psychological term and includes a list of resilient behaviors as well as a discussion of why resilience is important.

Differentiation Suggestion: For a less reflective approach, this Personal Connection Prompt may be reframed as an analysis. Students could choose a fictional character from a book, film, or television series and explain how this character demonstrates resilience, based on their understanding of the term.