Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Plans
A Cure for Dreams: A Novel by Kaye Gibbons
(c)2015 BookRags, Inc. All rights reserved.
Contents
A Cure for Dreams: A Novel Lesson Plans................................................................................... 1
Contents...................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction.................................................................................................................................. 4
Lesson Calendar.......................................................................................................................... 9
Chapter Abstracts...................................................................................................................... 18
Character Descriptions.............................................................................................................. 24
Object Descriptions.................................................................................................................... 26
Daily Lessons............................................................................................................................ 28
Fun Activities.............................................................................................................................. 51
Essay Topics.............................................................................................................................. 54
Multiple Choice.......................................................................................................................... 79
2
Eight Week Quiz C................................................................................................................... 180
3
Introduction
Teaching A Cure for Dreams: A Novel
The A Cure for Dreams: A Novel lesson plan contains a variety of teaching materials
that cater to all learning styles. Inside you'll find 30 Daily Lessons, 20 Fun Activities, 180
Multiple Choice Questions, 60 Short Essay Questions, 20 Essay Questions,
Quizzes/Homework Assignments, Tests, and more. The lessons and activities will help
students gain an intimate understanding of the text, while the tests and quizzes will help
you evaluate how well the students have grasped the material.
Length of Lesson Plan: Approximately 120 pages. Page count is estimated at 300
words per page. Length will vary depending on format viewed.
4
Full Lesson Plan Overview
Completely Customizable!
The A Cure for Dreams: A Novel lesson plan is downloadable in PDF and Word. The
Word file is viewable with any PC or Mac and can be further adjusted if you want to mix
questions around and/or add your own headers for things like "Name," "Period," and
"Date." The Word file offers unlimited customizing options so that you can teach in the
most efficient manner possible. Once you download the file, it is yours to keep and print
for your classroom.
The Lesson Plan Calendars provide daily suggestions about what to teach. They
include detailed descriptions of when to assign reading, homework, in-class work, fun
activities, quizzes, tests and more. Use the entire A Cure for Dreams: A Novel calendar,
or supplement it with your own curriculum ideas. Calendars cover one, two, four, and
eight week units. Determine how long your A Cure for Dreams: A Novel unit will be, then
use one of the calendars provided to plan out your entire lesson.
Chapter Abstracts
Chapter abstracts are short descriptions of events that occur in each chapter of A Cure
for Dreams: A Novel. They highlight major plot events and detail the important
relationships and characteristics of important characters. The Chapter Abstracts can be
used to review what the students have read, or to prepare the students for what they will
read. Hand the abstracts out in class as a study guide, or use them as a "key" for a
class discussion. They are relatively brief, but can serve to be an excellent refresher of
A Cure for Dreams: A Novel for either a student or teacher.
5
Daily Lessons
This section of the lesson plan contains 30 Daily Lessons. Daily Lessons each have a
specific objective and offer at least three (often more) ways to teach that objective.
Lessons include classroom discussions, group and partner activities, in-class handouts,
individual writing assignments, at least one homework assignment, class participation
exercises and other ways to teach students about A Cure for Dreams: A Novel in a
classroom setting. You can combine daily lessons or use the ideas within them to create
your own unique curriculum. They vary greatly from day to day and offer an array of
creative ideas that provide many options for an educator.
Fun Classroom Activities differ from Daily Lessons because they make "fun" a priority.
The 20 enjoyable, interactive classroom activities that are included will help students
understand A Cure for Dreams: A Novel in fun and entertaining ways. Fun Classroom
Activities include group projects, games, critical thinking activities, brainstorming
sessions, writing poems, drawing or sketching, and countless other creative exercises.
Many of the activities encourage students to interact with each other, be creative and
think "outside of the box," and ultimately grasp key concepts from the text by "doing"
rather than simply studying. Fun activities are a great way to keep students interested
and engaged while still providing a deeper understanding of A Cure for Dreams: A
Novel and its themes.
The 60 Short Essay Questions listed in this section require a one to two sentence
answer. They ask students to demonstrate a deeper understanding of A Cure for
Dreams: A Novel by describing what they've read, rather than just recalling it. The short
essay questions evaluate not only whether students have read the material, but also
how well they understand and can apply it. They require more thought than multiple
choice questions, but are shorter than the essay questions.
6
Multiple Choice Questions
The 180 Multiple Choice Questions in this lesson plan will test a student's recall and
understanding of A Cure for Dreams: A Novel. Use these questions for quizzes,
homework assignments or tests. The questions are broken out into sections, so they
focus on specific chapters within A Cure for Dreams: A Novel. This allows you to test
and review the book as you proceed through the unit. Typically, there are 5-15 questions
per chapter, act or section.
Evaluation Forms
Use the Oral Reading Evaluation Form when students are reading aloud in class. Pass
the forms out before you assign reading, so students will know what to expect. You can
use the forms to provide general feedback on audibility, pronunciation, articulation,
expression and rate of speech. You can use this form to grade students, or simply
comment on their progress.
Use the Writing Evaluation Form when you're grading student essays. This will help you
establish uniform criteria for grading essays even though students may be writing about
different aspects of the material. By following this form you will be able to evaluate the
thesis, organization, supporting arguments, paragraph transitions, grammar, spelling,
punctuation, etc. of each student's essay.
Quizzes/Homework Assignments
7
Tests
Use the Test Summary page to determine which pre-made test is most relevant to your
students' learning styles. This lesson plan provides both full unit tests and mid-unit tests.
You can choose from several tests that include differing combinations of multiple choice
questions, short answer questions, short essay questions, full essay questions,
character and object matching, etc. Some of the tests are designed to be more difficult
than others. Some have essay questions, while others are limited to short-response
questions, like multiple choice, matching and short answer questions. If you don't find
the combination of questions that best suits your class, you can also create your own
test on A Cure for Dreams: A Novel.
8
Lesson Calendar
Definitions
9
Chapters 9 & assignment Assignment:
10 from one of the Read through
Daily Lessons Chapter 19 and
Postscript and
assign an
essay, due the
week following
the test
10
Chapters 13 & Chapters 15 & Chapters 17 & Chapter 19 and
14 16 18 Postscript
11
one of the and choose a 1 In-Class assignment
Daily Lessons homework Handout from one of the
assignment Daily Lessons
from one of the
Daily Lessons
Day 6 - Day 7 - Day 8 - Day 9 - Day 10 - Mid
Review Unit Review Unit Review Unit Review Unit Unit Test
12
a homework 1 In-Class Read through 1 Fun Activity
assignment Handout Chapters 17 & from Fun
from one of the 18 and choose Activities 14-15
Daily Lessons Homework a homework
Assignment: assignment Homework
Choose from from one of the Assignment:
one of the Daily Lessons Choose from
Daily Lessons one of the
Daily Lessons
Day 16 - Day 17 - Day 18 - Day 19 - Day 20 - Final
Review Unit Review Unit Review Unit Review Unit Test
13
Chapter 1 In-Class Homework Chapter Fun Activity 2
Abstracts up to Handout Abstracts up to
Introduction Daily Lesson 2 Chapters 3 & 4 Students Read
and Chapters 1 Homework Aloud in Class
&2 Assignment: Fun Activity 1 Review
Complete the Homework
Students Read Daily Lesson Homework
Aloud in Class Assignment: Daily Lesson 3
Read through
Chapters 3 & 4 1 In-Class
and complete Handout
the Daily
Lesson
Day 6 - Day 7 - Day 8 - Quiz Day 9 - Day 10 -
Review Unit Review Unit Review Unit Review Unit
14
Homework Daily Lesson Homework Assignment: Aloud in Class
Assignment: Assignment: Read through
Study for the Complete the Chapters 9 & Fun Activity 8
quiz Daily Lesson 10 and
complete the Homework
Daily Lesson Assignment:
Complete the
Daily Lesson
Day 16 - Day 17 - Day 18 - Day 19 - Day 20 - Mid
Review Unit Review Unit Review Unit Review Unit Unit Test
15
14 and
complete the
Daily Lesson
Day 26 - Day 27 - Day 28 - Day 29 - Day 30 - Mid
Review Unit Review Unit Review Unit Review Unit Unit Test
Students Read
Aloud in Class
Homework
Assignment:
Complete the
Daily Lesson
Day 31 - Day 32 - Day 33 - Day 34 - Day 35 - Quiz
Review Unit Review Unit Review Unit Review Unit
16
Daily Lesson
Day 36 - Day 37 - Day 38 - Day 39 - Day 40 - Final
Review Unit Review Unit Review Unit Review Unit Test
17
Chapter Abstracts
Introduction and Chapters 1 & 2
• A CURE FOR DREAMS presents the story of four generations of women as told by a
mother to a daughter.
• The story begins in Bell County, Kentucky, in the early Twentieth century.
• In an Introduction dated December 15, 1989, Marjorie Polly Randolph writes that her
mother, Betty Davies Randolph, died the previous month.
• Marjorie states that she, her mother, and her grandmother, Lottie O'Cadhain Davies
always looked younger than their actual age.
• Marjorie states that her mother loved to talk and she loved listening to her.
• Betty tells the story of her mother, Lottie, as a young girl with fantasies of meeting a
dashing man on horseback.
• Lottie's Irish mother, Bridget O'Cadhain, is prejudiced against Quakers and believes
that everyone is determined to persecute Irish Catholics.
• Charles states that Lottie's family is in such dire straits because her father is a lazy
drunk.
• When Bridget learns that Lottie is seeing Charles, Bridget smacks Lottie's hands with
a piece of firewood.
• Charles and Lottie marry and move from Kentucky to North Carolina where he is
surprised to find that Lottie is not as hard a worker as he is.
• Lottie loses affection for Charles but soon has a child, Betty, in 1920, followed by the
birth of a boy the following year but he dies in infancy.
• Lottie dotes on Betty and the mother and daughter relationship forms strong bonds
immediately.
Chapters 3 & 4
• At the age of twelve, Betty refuses to eat anything but cornbread and soon develops a
disease called pellagra.
• The doctor chastises Lottie, and Charles uses the news as an occasion to ridicule
Lottie who is understandably upset.
18
• Lottie has beautiful, ornate handwriting, shares her skills with others and is especially
proud of her literacy since she had to leave school at the age of fifteen.
• Lottie and Charles continue to grow apart emotionally and Lottie develops friendships
with many of the neighbors.
• Lottie organizes a social club in the back of a local store and soon it becomes a forum
for playing cards.
• Charles hates gambling and Lottie alternates between saying she goes only to watch
and promising to stop going at all.
• Lottie instructs Betty in how to recognize a happy marriage by using other women in
the club as examples.
• Lottie points out Amanda and Richard Bethune as an example of a good marriage
because of the way he treats his wife.
• Lottie says that a person can tell how a man feels about his wife by the way he
addresses her in public.
Chapters 5 & 6
• Lottie's best friend, Sade's, husband has an affair with another woman and Lottie
cannot sit by and watch Sade suffer in silence.
• Though she never tells Sade that she has intervened, Lottie spreads a rumor about
the other woman and soon Sade's husband stops his philandering.
• The following year, Sade's husband is murdered and no one is surprised because he
is universally disliked.
• The deputy sheriff takes Lottie to Sade's house on the night of the murder, and by the
clues she sees, Lottie suspects that Sade has killed her husband.
• No formal search for the killer is ever launched because most believe that Sade's
husband deserved to die.
• Betty begins school, and although she fits in well enough, she still prefers the
company of her mother.
Chapters 7 & 8
• Betty has no close friends until 1937 when she becomes friends with Trudy Woodlief, a
married woman with five children.
• Lottie and Betty take a meal to Trudy's house to welcome the new family and find the
children dirty and Trudy shaving her legs.
19
• Trudy shows disrespect to Lottie and Lottie takes back all the food she brought to the
family.
• Trudy's children are notorious thieves and so is her husband, Tommy, who abandons
the family after selling some stolen copper.
• Lottie is troubled that a woman with so many children has been abandoned and she
tries to think of ways to help Trudy in spite of her feelings about her.
• One day Trudy arrives in Porter's store and asks for credit and is denied, so she turns
her children loose to steal.
• Lottie and the other women playing cards in the store take up a collection and give the
money to Porter; they tell him they will do so periodically and he is to tell Trudy she has
credit in whatever amount they are able to collect.
Chapters 9 & 10
• Charles' business at the mill slows and he is home more than usual, creating friction
between him and Lottie.
• Despite Charles' claims of destitution, Lottie knows the family is better off than most in
the area.
• When a boy is killed at the mill, Charles refuses to halt production, viewed as a callous
act by everyone else.
• Lottie gives the boy's sister money for a funeral when the woman comes to their house
to express her outrage.
• At dinner that night, Lottie shows her contempt for Charles by taking her plate outside
and calling the neighbor's dogs. When Charles comes out to chastise Lottie, the dogs
lunge at Charles and he drives away from the property in his car.
• Charles grows more and more irrational, even denying Lottie fishhooks when she
takes up fishing.
• One day Charles refuses to take Lottie and Betty to town to window shop so she and
Betty respond by buying expensive dresses.
• Two weeks after the dress incident, Charles leaves home and does not return.
• The following day Charles is found dead in the river from an apparent suicide since he
is wearing a suit and has no fishing gear with him.
• Lottie is angry because Charles' suicide cancels his life insurance policy.
• Lottie rents out the mill and the land so that she and Betty can get by financially.
20
Chapters 11 & 12
• Trudy gives birth to twin boys and quickly returns to her normal weight because she
smokes cigarettes instead of eating.
• Betty helps with housework and laundry at Trudy's after the babies are born.
• Lottie gives Trudy a chest of drawers she once brought from Kentucky, and Trudy uses
the drawers as baby beds for the twins.
• Trudy tells Betty that she will not have more children since she does not have a
husband and says that the best part of being abandoned by her husband is that she
does not have to worry about getting pregnant.
• The local health department enlists Lottie's help in convincing Trudy to get her children
vaccinated.
• While at Trudy's house, Lottie sees how Trudy is using the chest of drawers and is
angered at first but later sends an old baby crib to Trudy's house.
• Lottie sends Betty to Trudy's house with a hammer and nails so she can make hooks
for the children to hang the clothes that clutter the house.
Chapters 13 & 14
• Women often ask Lottie if she will ever remarry but Lottie says there are no suitable
men locally.
• Betty wants to leave the area which leads to arguments with Lottie who wants her to
stay.
• News arrives from Lottie's family in Kentucky that Lottie's mother, Bridget, believes she
will die soon and wants to go back to Ireland.
• Without consulting Lottie, the family members decide that Lottie is the best person to
make the trip to Ireland.
• Betty stays with the family in Kentucky while her mother is gone and tries to find
information about her father, but his family has long since moved to Tennessee.
• Bridget's behavior is a source of embarrassment to Lottie on the trip and during the
time in Galway when Bridget has the local women perform a death watch.
• Lotte and Bridget eventually return to the United States and Bridget outlives almost
everyone she has ever known.
• Betty worries that she will not find a husband if she does not leave Milk Farm Road.
21
• Betty applies to various schools and work programs and decides to move to
Richmond, Virginia.
Chapters 15 & 16
• In Richmond, Betty lives in a boarding house with other young women and has a
couple of jobs, one working at Kresge's Department Store.
• Betty meets a Kresge's customer named Stanton and the two begin to date and attend
parties even though Betty does not drink.
• Betty takes Stanton home to meet Lottie who notices right away that Stanton's lips are
blue and that he does not look healthy.
• After their return to Richmond, Betty does not hear from Stanton for a week and is
angry until Betty receives a call one day from a nurse saying that Stanton is in the
hospital and would like for Betty to bring him some cigarettes.
• At the hospital, the nurse informs Betty that Stanton is in the hospital for drug addiction
and he is admitted two or three times a year.
• When Betty leaves the visit with Stanton, he addresses her as "girlie", validating
Lottie's opinion on how men value the women in their lives by the names they call them.
• Betty returns to Milk Farm Road and soon after receives a letter from a friend notifying
her that Stanton has died.
• Lottie tries to console Betty by telling her about a person who will soon be returning to
Milk Farm Road and says Betty will be interested in meeting this young man.
• The young man is Herman Randolph, the son of the man who leased the mill and farm
after Charles died.
• Betty and Herman hit it off right away and soon begin dating in earnest.
Chapters 17 & 18
• With the outbreak of World War II, Herman is anxious to join the military even though
he would be exempt because he is a farmer.
• Betty learns from someone else that Herman has joined the navy and begins a letter to
him which Lottie has to finish because Betty is too upset.
• Herman confirms to Betty that he has joined the navy and Lottie advises Betty to marry
Herman before he leaves for war.
• Betty and Herman get married in Lottie's house and Lottie is worried that she is losing
22
Betty even though Betty will be staying with her now and Betty and Herman will be living
there when Herman returns.
• On the honeymoon, Betty has to remind Herman to stop talking about how eager he is
to go to war.
• Betty and Herman return to Milk Farm Road and many people come to the train station
to bid Herman farewell.
• Letters from Herman raise Betty's anxiety level, because he writes about constantly
facing death.
• Two days after Thanksgiving, Betty goes into labor, is home alone and cannot reach
anyone on the phone.
• Betty names her daughter Marjorie Polly, a name which does not please Lottie.
• Marjorie is two years old by the time Herman returns from war.
23
Character Descriptions
Lottie O'Cadhain Davies
Born just after the turn of the century in southeastern Kentucky, she is the main subject
of the narrator's story.
Trudy Woodlief
This woman arrives from out of town and immediately demands credit at the local store.
Polly Deal
This black woman is one of the main subject's closest friends and is also the local
midwife.
Charles Davies
This man comes from a Quaker family. He marries the narrator and moves with her from
Kentucky to North Carolina.
Bridget O'Cadhain
This is the main character's cantankerous mother who, despite living almost all her life
in America, never learns English.
Sade Dupin
This close friend of the main subject kills her husband and relies on the main character
to cover up the clues.
Amanda Bethune
This is a close friend of the main character who enjoys a happy marriage.
24
Richard Bethune
He treats his wife the way that all men should treat their wives.
John Carroll
This man is a part-time deputy sheriff.
Tommy Woodlief
This man steals dogs and copper and then abandons his wife and children.
Stanton
This well-dressed young man takes the narrator to many parties while she lives in
Richmond, Virginia.
Herman Randolph
After leaving to work on W.P.A. projects, this man returns to Milk Farm Road and
eventually marries the narrator.
Gordon Randolph
This man asks to rent the mill and the farmland after the narrator's husband dies.
Marjorie Polly
She is the daughter of the narrator.
25
Object Descriptions
Bell County
This area in southeastern Kentucky is where Lottie and Charles are from.
Quaker
This Protestant variety of Christianity is the religion of Charles' family.
Galway
This is the name for a city and county located in western Ireland where Lottie's parents
are from.
Porter's Store
This retail establishment in Milk Farm Road also serves as a social center.
W.P.A.
This agency provides jobs for millions of people during the Great Depression.
Richmond
This city is where Betty goes to take classes and work.
Kresge's
This is the name of the store Betty works for in Richmond.
26
Boll Weevil
This type of insect eats and destroys cotton crops.
27
Daily Lessons
Lesson 1 (from Introduction and Chapters 1 & 2)
Objective
The setting of the story is primarily Milk Farm Road, Kentucky. The objective of this
lesson is to explore the local color of Kentucky and its impact on the story.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about local color. Begin with a definition and ask the
class to validate their understanding by offering examples from the novel. How is
regionalism exhibited in language? Interpersonal dynamics? Clothing? What other
elements can the students define that make this story one from Kentucky during this
particular time period?
Divide the class into small groups and have them discuss the author's authenticity with
the book. Could this story take place anywhere else but Kentucky in the early to mid-
20th century? Why or why not? What is it about the elements of this story that slots in
into this particular time period?
Lead a class discussion about local color in areas where the students have lived or
visited. What distinctive qualities emerge? What enviable qualities emerge? Have the
students list local color characteristics on the board and then vote on the most favorable
location.
For homework, have the students write a synopsis of the story as if it were written about
rural life in a northern state in 2011. What elements would have to be changed? Are
there elements that would remain the same?
Bridget does not want Lottie to date a boy who is not Catholic but Lottie defies her
mother by seeing Charles Davies who comes from a Quaker family. The objective of this
lesson is to understand the foibles of human nature regardless of time or setting.
28
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion of the human condition. What can the students add to
validate their understanding of the topic? What do they feel is the human condition from
their perspective? What are Bridget's foibles? What are her core strengths? How about
weaknesses? Why does Lottie choose to defy her mother? Will this damage the
relationship between Lottie and Bridget? Discuss.
Continue the discussion on another day and begin with questions related to human
nature in general. Do the students think that all humans are capable of all emotions,
motivations, and behaviors? Or are there people who are all good and people who are
all bad? Can they offer up any examples of people, either real or fictional, they know
about in either of these categories? Is religious affiliation relevant to human nature?
Divide the class into small groups and have them research the human psyche. What are
the variables that can affect a person's personality and behavior? Are there any
constants? Have them also look at motivations. What are the differences between
external and internal motivators? Which are more powerful? Why?
For homework, have the students write a journal entry about their current frame of mind,
what influences they're currently under and how they make decisions based on mood,
environment, and other external factors.
Lottie meets Charles at a wedding, foreshadowing their own marriage soon after. The
objective of this lesson is to understand foreshadowing.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about foreshadowing. Begin with a definition of the term
and then ask the students to provide their perceptions of the elements or events that
work as foreshadowing for the story. Why did the author insert this scene between Lottie
and Charles. Why is this meeting foreshadowing of what will come a little later in the
story for Lottie and Charles? In what other ways could the author have used the
technique of foreshadowing? Explain.
Divide the class into small groups and have them cite the foreshadowing used in this
chapter which mirrors a climactic one later in the book. Have the groups re-convene
with the rest of the class and discuss the scenario related to foreshadowing.
29
As an in-class exercise, have the students discuss foreshadowing as it relates to their
own lives. How will they write their story for the next month? What do they envision
happening? This should be a fun, lively discussion filled with gentle bantering and
encouragement.
For homework, have the students imagine they do not know the outcome of the story
and write another possible ending for the chapter.
Chapters 3 & 4
Lottie allows Betty to eat a diet consisting only of cornbread even though she must
know this is not a healthy thing to do. The objective of this lesson is to understand the
concept of living in denial.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about the topic of denial. Begin with a definition of the
term and have the students supplement with examples from their own lives. Why do
they think Lottie is in denial about what her obligations to Betty are? Why does Lottie
not make Betty eat a more balanced diet? Is Lottie afraid that Betty will no longer like
her if she insists on parenting her properly? What behavior does Lottie exhibit that
shows she is in a state of denial? Do the students know anyone who lives in a perpetual
state of denial? Have they ever chosen to live in denial as opposed to learning a painful
truth or dealing with the need to uncover some facts? What were the circumstances?
What was the outcome? What were their coping mechanisms? How has the behavior
changed, or not?
Divide the class into small groups and have them research the subject of denial. What
psychological parameters must be in place for denial to be employed? Why do people
use denial as a coping mechanism? Can denial ever be healthy or is it a major
behavioral flaw?
Ask the school psychologist or a guidance counselor to attend class to discuss what it
means for people to live in denial. Encourage the students to engage with thoughtful,
sensitive questions.
For homework, have the students write a short essay on denial as a coping mechanism.
Denial can be one of the stages of grief and shock. How can denial help a person
manage through the pain of a devastating shock?
30
Lesson 5 (from Chapters 3 & 4)
Objective
Chapters 3 & 4
The theme of respect is one of the important themes in this novel. The objective of this
lesson is to understand the importance of a theme.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about themes in literature. What do the students think a
theme is? Can they identify the theme of respect in this chapter? Why is the theme of
respect such an important and common one in literature? Ask them to discuss the
concept of respect as it relates to the characters. Do the students think this theme is
common because everyone can relate to it in some way? Discuss.
Continue the discussion on the next day regarding the identification of themes in
general in the novel. Can the students identify any other themes in this section or in the
novel overall? Ask them to identify and explain their answers.
Divide the class into small groups and have them discuss ways to determine the theme
of a piece of literature. Ask them to pay attention to patterns, symbols and other
elements of a story or play to guide their discussion. Ask them to select five stories or
plays they have read and identify the themes in each.
For homework, have the students write an essay about the universal theme of respect
in literature.
Chapters 3 & 4
The book is told in the first person point of view--from the perspectives of Marjorie, Betty
and Lottie--in separate sections. The objective of this lesson is to understand point of
view.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion of point of view in literature. Begin with a definition and a
clarification of the different perspectives. What can the students observe about the point
of view in this novel? Can they distinguish why this point of view is so obvious? How
does the author use the point of view through the eyes and thoughts of the main
31
characters? Have them point out some examples of the first person perspective and
share with the class.
Divide the class into small groups and have them explore the book from a different
perspective. Have them write this chapter from Charles' point of view. How would the
story change? How would it stay the same? Would it be confusing for an author to
switch perspectives in a novel? Or would it help provide more clarity for the reader?
Explain.
As an impromptu in-class exercise, go around the room and have the students read
from the chapter changing the point of view to suit them. Continue in a round robin
fashion to see what interesting twists occur as the perspective changes.
For homework, have the students write a diary entry utilizing the first person omniscient
point of view.
Chapters 5 & 6
By this point in the novel, the author has established the elements necessary to extend
the story. The objective of this lesson is to explore the fictional elements of a novel.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion of the elements of a novel. What elements does this
section include? What elements, if any, are missing? Have the students discuss the
elements that the author has established. How good is she at fleshing out the
framework of necessary elements for a dramatic work? Do they see any similarities to
anything else they have read recently?
Divide the class into small groups and have them research drama written by a Southern
writer just as Kaye Gibbons is. What differences do they find in literature written by a
Southern writer as opposed to writers of other regions? Do they think these differences
are reflected in the author's style in this section or is Southern writing typically more
verbose with more flagrant usage of literary techniques and literary descriptors? Name
some popular Southern writers and how their works compare to Gibbons'.
As an in-class exercise, have the students do a round robin, adding plot, characters,
and literary techniques to this scene to see how it could have extended in ways that
even Gibbons could not have imagined! This should be a fun, collaborative exercise
with the intent of focusing on literary elements in a work of fiction.
32
For homework, have the students read more of Kaye Gibbons' work and note the
differences and similarities to A CURE FOR DREAMS.
Chapters 5 & 6
Sade must steel herself against the hurt caused by her husband's affair with another
woman. The objective of this lesson is to understand emotional protective mechanisms.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about protective mechanisms. Begin with a definition and
ask the students to supplement with their perspectives on the subject. What are Sade's
husband's indiscretions? Does Sade share her emotional hurt with her husband? How
does Sade choose to manage her hurt? What is Sade's ultimate act of eliminating the
hurt caused by her husband? Why do different people manage emotional problems in
different ways? Is there another way that Sade could have managed her situation?
Discuss.
Continue the discussion on another day to discuss how Sade's avoidance behavior
seems to be in character for her. How has she exhibited avoidance in uncomfortable
circumstances before? What do the students imagine was the tipping point for Sade's
tolerance regarding her husband? Can the students relate to Sade's behavior in any
way? Discuss.
Ask a counselor or psychotherapist to come to class to discuss the topic of coping and
protective mechanisms. Encourage the students to ask questions and learn to identify
the signs of possible abuse among people they know.
For homework, have the students write an essay on some method they use to cope in
unpleasant circumstances.
Chapters 5 & 6
Sade endures Roy's abusive behavior until the point where she snaps and murders him.
The objective of this lesson is to explore the idea of internal transformations influenced
by external forces.
33
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about the premise of the novel. What are the
circumstances that have Sade in such a state of emotional upheaval? What has Roy
done to Sade that eats away at her self esteem? How does Sade initially manage
through her hurts and disappointments? What begins to change in Sade in the way she
views her marriage and her life? What makes Sade snap one day and kill her husband?
Discuss.
Continue the discussion on internal transformations by asking the class to explain any
similar circumstances they may have had that relate to Sade's emotional evolution. Do
they feel caught between two worlds in any way? Ethnically? As part of a divorced
family? Any other situation? Ask for class participation if the students feel comfortable
sharing.
Ask the students to wear to class an article of clothing that makes them feel the most
like "who they really are." Go around the room to ask students why they like their
particular article of clothing and how it makes them feel. See if there are any patterns
among the girls or boys.
For homework, have the students write a 500-word essay about making a personal
adjustment based on forces outside their own control.
Chapters 7 & 8
Lottie anonymously gives Trudy hope by collecting money for the woman to use as
credit at Porter's store. The object of this lesson is to explore the concept of hope.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about hope in this instance. What is so hopeless about
Trudy's situation, especially regarding her ability to purchase items at Porter's store?
What decision does Lottie make to try to help Trudy and still save her dignity? How does
Lottie instill some hope in Trudy by her actions? Why is it important to Lottie to act
anonymously in this situation? How does Lottie provide hope through her generosity in
other circumstances in the novel? Discuss.
Divide the class into small groups and have them research the topic of hope in
motivational, spiritual and educational material available today. They should be
prepared to present their material to the class for open discussion.
34
As an in-class exercise, have the students write a poem, poster, greeting card, or use
another art form to showcase the theme of hope. If time permits, have the students
design their work in a format that can be shared with the rest of the class.
For homework, have the students write a two-page paper on the use of hope in
literature.
Chapters 7 & 8
Trudy is openly unfriendly to Lottie even when Lottie brings food and furniture to help
Trudy's situation. The objective of this lesson is to understand the use of conflict in
literature.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about conflict. Can the students identify the sources of
conflict in the story? Where are the greatest potential sources for conflict between the
characters? What does the conflict between Trudy and Lottie in this chapter mean? Why
is Trudy openly unfriendly to Lottie? Does she resent needing help from other people?
Why does Lottie respond in the way she does to Trudy's behavior? Discuss the sources
of conflict and why they escalate as the story progresses.
Divide the class into small groups to discuss the nature of conflict in literature. Besides
the character vs. character conflict in this chapter, what other types of conflict are used
in literature? Ask them to identify some examples of conflict and then reconvene the
class to continue the discussion on a broader level.
For homework, have the students re-write the chapter replacing the character vs.
character conflict with another type of conflict (character vs. society, character vs. self,
or anything they can imagine) to see how this changes the scope of the work.
Chapters 7 & 8
35
Trudy is denied credit in Porter's store so Lottie makes anonymous arrangements to pay
for the items that Trudy needs. The objective of this lesson is to explore the concept of
the power of money.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about the power of money. Why does Trudy need credit
at Porter's store? Why is she denied the credit? What does the denial of credit mean for
Trudy and her family? How does Lottie learn of Trudy's needs? What arrangement does
Lottie organize so that Trudy can get the items she needs at the store? Why does Lottie
choose to do this anonymously? Discuss.
Open the discussion on the power of money on another day and ask the students what
money means to them. Are those with more money more powerful and influential than
those with less? How do the students feel about the intangible weight that money
carries? Have the students ever been caught up in the money power game, either by
having plenty or not having enough, to get something or somewhere they really
wanted? What were the circumstances? What was the outcome? How were the
students changed by the experience?
What does money really buy? Divide the class into small groups and have them
research the history of power and wealth in America. They should create a multimedia
presentation which can be shared with the class.
For homework, have the students write two lists: List 1 includes the things money can
buy; List 2 shows the things money cannot buy. Have the students compare the two lists
and say which one they would prefer.
Chapters 9 & 10
Lottie is seriously disappointed in the way Charles has handled the death of the boy at
the mill. The objective of this lesson is to understand hurt and disappointment.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about hurt and disappointment. Ask the students to offer
any situations in which they were sorely disappointed. What were the circumstances?
What was the outcome? What coping mechanisms did they use to work through their
disappointment? What lessons did they learn? How did the disappointment alter their
views on having a dream? Explain.
36
Extend the discussion another day and direct the topic to the hurt and disappointment
Lottie feels about Charles in the aftermath of the death of the boy at the mill. What did
Charles do that was so callous? What did Lottie expect Charles to do? How did Lottie
manage to punish Charles for his behavior? Is Lottie truly surprised about Charles'
behavior? Discuss.
For homework, have the students interview a parent or other adult about a major
disappointment they have experienced in their lives and how they managed through it.
They should then write an essay about their findings and what they have learned.
Chapters 9 & 10
Lottie intentionally lures the neighbor's dogs to her porch so that they will try to attack
Charles. The objective of this lesson is to understand behavior that is intended to elicit
powerful responses.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about behavior that is intended to elicit powerful
responses. Why did Lottie take her dinner out to the front porch to lure the neighbor's
dogs? How did Lottie know she was safe from the dogs? How did Lottie know Charles
would come outside when he saw that Lottie was giving her food to the dogs? What had
Lottie hoped would happen when Charles came out onto the porch when the dogs were
there? Did Lottie get the response for which she had hoped? Discuss.
Begin the class by making an outrageous statement such as, "High school is a complete
waste of time," or, "Grades for this class will be based on your video gaming scores
starting today." Gauge the responses from the class and lead a discussion maintaining
your position at all times. After 15-20 minutes, indicate that you had taken a contrary
position in order to see response to it. Ask the class how they felt about the experience.
Were they threatened? Were they excited?
As appropriate for your school, have the students come up with some attention-getting
activities at school in order to promote a cause. For example, have them kidnap the
principal and hold him in the classroom until students contribute time or money to a
local charity. Publicize the event on a classroom web site or school newspaper.
37
Divide the class into groups of five and have them write a script showing a situation
where someone behaved conversely in order to create drama or to generate a particular
response.
Chapters 9 & 10
Charles claims that the family is in dire financial straits while Lottie knows differently and
views their life in a different perspective. The objective of this lesson is to learn the
different ways men and women have of looking at the same situations.
Lesson
Divide the class into groups of three or four, separated by gender. Propose a fictional
scenario such as two children finding a bag of money in a shopping mall or seeing a lost
child in a store. Have them discuss how the males would handle the situations vs. how
the females would handle them. Let one representative from each team present its
team's findings and see how they compare/contrast.
As an in-class exercise, show the class different images from magazines, the Internet,
films, and other media and have them individually write down their first impressions of
what they see. Collect the papers and read aloud the impressions, ultimately noting any
general tendencies in how the boys perceived the images as opposed to how the girls
perceived them.
For homework, have the students research the study of how men and women think
differently and write a five-page report incorporating the tenets of the area of study.
Chapters 11 & 12
38
Trudy has been abandoned by her husband and must raise her children on her own.
The objective of this lesson is to explore the emotions related to loneliness.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about loneliness. Begin with a definition of loneliness.
How is being lonely different from being alone? What do the students think is the source
of Trudy's loneliness? What special kind of loneliness must it be to be abandoned by
your husband? Does Trudy feel loneliness because of the lack of adult conversation in
her daily life? What is the depth of Trudy's loneliness? Have the students ever
experienced loneliness in their lives? What were the circumstances? How did they
manage it? What was the outcome? Does their experience with loneliness make them
more sensitive to others experiencing it? Or do they shy away from others because of
the emotional investment?
For a class exercise, recruit a few of the students to read passages related to Trudy's
loneliness out loud in class. Pause at appropriate times to explore the feelings that she
has and why she is validated in her feelings of loneliness and remoteness.
If appropriate for your school, encourage the students to "adopt" a senior citizen,
latchkey kid, or someone else who leads a lonely life and find ways to connect and
spend meaningful time with that person. Invite them to talk about their experiences in
class from time to time as appropriate.
For homework, have the students write a letter to Trudy sharing their own experiences
with loneliness and encouraging her to find ways to connect with the world to ease her
emotional burden.
Chapters 11 & 12
In spite of her dislike for Trudy's behavior, Lottie shows empathy for Trudy and her
family. The objective of this lesson is to understand the nature of tolerance and
acceptance of those different from yourself.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about tolerance. Begin with a definition and ask the class
for their perceptions of the concept. What forms of intolerance and discrimination can
the students name after reading A CURE FOR DREAMS? What forms of intolerance
and oppression are overt? Which are more internal and possibly insidious? Do the
students know anyone who lives under discrimination? What intolerance have they
themselves experienced on some level? What are the circumstances? How do people
39
react to these people? How do the students interact with them? What lessons have they
learned about tolerance and acceptance in these or other circumstances? Ask them to
explain.
For a class exercise, have the students make a marked attempt at being kinder and
more tolerant to someone they may have neglected or even been cruel to because of
racial, religious, sexual identity or physical differences. This person can be another
student, teacher, or someone outside school. After a week, ask the students to talk
about the experience and how it has changed them--or not.
Divide the class into small groups and have them research tolerance on local, national
and global scales. They should then prepare a multimedia presentation which can be
shared with the rest of the class.
For homework, have the students research the concept of tolerance whether in history,
social services, religion, or political movements and write a paper on their perspectives.
Chapters 11 & 12
Lottie sends Trudy an old baby crib which symbolizes Lottie's wish that Trudy should
have an easier time raising her children. The objective of this lesson is to understand
the use of symbolism in literature.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about symbolism. Have the students explain the
symbolism of Lottie's old baby crib. What is the significance of this baby crib for Lottie?
Why has she kept it for so many years? Why does she feel the need to send the crib to
Trudy? What does the crib symbolize for Trudy? For the relationship between Trudy and
Lottie? Can the students identify any other instances of symbolism in the novel? What
are they? What do they signify to the characters or to the plot? Why do authors uses
symbolism in their work? Explain.
Divide the class into small groups and have them research symbolism in literature.
What other instances of symbolism can be gleaned from other pieces of literature they
can recall? What are some of the more famous instances of symbolism in U.S.
literature? The students should be prepared to present their findings to the class.
As an in-class exercise, have the students offer up instances of symbolism they see in
their everyday lives. The objective is to get them to view their lives as stories on the
backdrop of the world and to find the literary in even the simplest things.
40
For homework, have the students insert another instance of symbolism into the play and
write a paper on symbolism's impact.
Chapters 13 & 14
Lottie is surprised when Betty asserts her independence and declares that she wants to
move from home. The objective of this lesson is to understand emotional independence.
Lesson
Lead a class discussion on the concept of emotional independence. What does that
mean to the students? How does Betty exhibit emotional independence? Why does
Lottie react the way she does to Betty's intentions to move away from home? Is Betty
self absorbed or just asserting her identity as a young woman? Can a person function
independent of other people? Is it a good thing to be so emotionally independent? How
do the students recognize it in their own lives? Does it work for them or is it a
hindrance? Is there a balance between independence and interdependence that is
necessary in all relationships? Ask for examples of successful relationships that
incorporate both qualities.
Divide the class into small groups and have them discuss whether Betty's emotional
independence also exhibits with other characters in the book? Who is the most
independent person in the book--other than Betty at this point? Who is the most
dependent? Discuss.
As an in-class exercise, do a round robin and have the class build a story for Betty that
begins if she should sever ties with Milk Farm Road completely. Be sure to incorporate
her newfound success and sense of accomplishment.
For homework, research scientific experiments with primates who are separated from
their mothers at birth. Write a two-page paper on the premise that newborns need
immediate and continued bonding with their mothers or some female model in order to
learn.
Chapters 13 & 14
41
Lottie is embarrassed and angered by her mother's behavior during the trip back to
Ireland. The objective of this lesson is to understand the topic of disillusionment when
an important person in your life is discovered to have fatal flaws.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about disillusionment. What does disillusionment mean to
the students? What has Lottie grown to know about her mother, Bridget? What does
Bridget do that embarrasses and angers Lottie? How does Lottie manage her
aggravation with her mother? Is Lottie surprised by her mother's behavior? Or has she
just reached a point where it is more difficult to manage? Discuss.
Continue the discussion on another day and ask the students to discuss disillusionment
in their own lives. Ask the students for examples of disillusionment from their own lives.
What were the circumstances surrounding the disappointment? What was the outcome?
How was the perception of the person in question changed? Was the relationship
irreparable? Or did they manage to overcome the personal disappointment and move
forward?
Divide the class into small groups and have them discuss fatal flaws. What do they
consider to be a fatal flaw? Do they think that people are capable of having multiple fatal
flaws or does one particular flaw supersede any possible others? What do they consider
to be the hierarchy of fatal flaws? Are the fatal flaws surmountable or do they handicap
a person forever?
For homework, have the students write an essay about a time in their lives when they
were personally disappointed by someone. How did they find out? How did they feel?
How did they manage through the experience?
Chapters 13 & 14
Betty decides that she has to leave Milk Farm Road in order to explore other options for
her life. The objective of this lesson is to understand the nature of transitions.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about transitions. Begin with a definition of the term and
ask students for their impressions of what transitions mean. What were the
circumstances that have had Betty aware of transitions in her life? Why are these
transitions so emotionally taxing? How does Betty summon the strength to make her
own decisions? What are her short term plans? How about long term plans? How does
42
she determine how to best manage the transitions? Explain. Ask the students to put
themselves in Betty's place. How would they have felt in this situation?
Extend the discussion on another day by asking the students to talk about times in their
lives when they experienced change that was not of their making, and maybe not to
their liking. What were the circumstances? What was the outcome? How do the
students feel about the events even now? Ask them to explain their feelings about the
change. What is the range of emotions based on the scope of the change encountered?
Have the students make one change in their lives for a week. It can be something as
simple as taking a different route to school or as mind-bending as leaving the cell phone
at home! The idea is to notice the impact of change and how they feel they can cope
even if the change is self-directed.
For homework, have the students write journal entries for a week as if they were one of
the characters in A CURE FOR DREAMS trying to make sense out of the changes in
their lives.
Chapters 15 & 16
Betty does not address Stanton's behavior or physical appearance due to his drug
abuse.The objective of this lesson is to further understand the concept of living in
denial.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about the topic of denial. Begin with a definition of the
term and have the students supplement with examples from their own lives. Why do
they think Betty is in denial of the situation? What behavior does Betty exhibit to show
that she is denying the truth about Stanton? Do the students know anyone who lives in
a perpetual state of denial? Have they ever chosen to live in denial as opposed to
learning a painful truth or dealing with the need to uncover some facts? What were the
circumstances? What was the outcome? What were their coping mechanisms? How
has the behavior changed, or not?
Divide the class into small groups and have them research the subject of denial. What
psychological parameters must be in place for denial to be employed? Why do people
use denial as a coping mechanism? Can denial ever be healthy or is it a major
behavioral flaw?
43
Ask the school psychologist or a guidance counselor to attend class to discuss what it
means for people to live in denial. Encourage the students to engage with thoughtful,
sensitive questions.
For homework, have the students write a short essay on denial as a coping mechanism.
Denial can be one of the stages of grief and shock. How can denial help a person
manage through the pain of a devastating shock?
Chapters 15 & 16
Betty is upset by Stanton's drug addiction and the way he views her as a person. The
objective of this lesson is to understand the topic of disillusionment when you discover
you have flawed judgment.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about disillusionment. Begin with a definition and ask the
students for examples from their own lives. What were the circumstances surrounding
the disappointment? What was the outcome? How was the perception of the person in
question changed? Was the relationship irreparable? Or did they manage to overcome
the personal disappointment and move forward? What does Betty think about herself
that disappoints her? Is she OK with the fact that she can change her mind? Discuss.
Divide the class into small groups and have them discuss fatal flaws. What do they
consider to be a fatal flaw? Do they think that people are capable of having multiple fatal
flaws or does one particular flaw supersede any possible others? What do they consider
to be the hierarchy of fatal flaws? Are the fatal flaws surmountable or do they handicap
a person forever?
As an in-class exercise, ask the students to recall works of literature they have read that
contain flawed characters. What are the characters' main flaws? Are they redeemable?
Are they lovable in spite of themselves? Discuss.
For homework, have the students write an essay about a time in their lives when they
were personally disappointed by someone. How did they find out? How did they feel?
How did they manage through the experience?
44
Lesson 24 (from Chapters 15 & 16)
Objective
Chapters 15 & 16
Betty's time in Richmond did not pan out like she had hoped so she returns home to
start her life again. The objective of this lesson is to explore the concept of starting over.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion of starting over. In what ways will Betty need to start
over? Will Betty be able to come to terms with her disappointing experience in
Richmond? What had Betty hoped the Richmond experience would do for her? What is
Lottie's opinion of Betty's Richmond experience? What role does Lottie's opinion play in
Betty's decision to return to Milk Farm Road? Discuss.
Extend the discussion on another day and have the students offer up examples of times
in their lives when they were forced to start over. This can include academic, athletic,
cultural or personal situations. How did the students feel at first when faced with the
prospect of starting something over? How did they resign themselves to the task? How
did they stay motivated? What were their feelings when the re-started situation was
completed? What lessons did they learn? What advice would they give to others in the
same circumstances?
Divide the class into small groups and have them research famous people who have
had comebacks. These people can be celebrities, political figures, religious figures, or
other prominent individuals. They should present their findings to the class.
For homework, have the students write a personal essay on the character-building
exercise of completing an exercise or project that had to be done again or started over
from the beginning.
Chapters 17 & 18
Herman and Betty quickly put together a wedding and marry before Herman has to go
to war. The objective of this lesson is to understand the full scope of aspects that must
match up for a good marriage.
45
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about marriage. Begin with a definition and ask the
students for their perspectives on the subject. Discuss what the students know about
Herman and Betty's marriage. Is it a typical marriage that evolves over time? Are
Herman's expectations unrealistic? How about Betty's expectations? What do the
students think comprises a good marriage? What about a bad marriage? Do the
students think their parents are in good marriages or bad marriages? What about
divorce? Did the students witness the demise of ahy marriages? What were the signs
that they could see?
For further discussion: What about long-term marriages? Have the students witnessed
any marriages that have lasted over 25 years? 50 years? What do the students see as
good signs that they may want to mirror some day? What do the students think is the
future of marriage in American society?
For homework, have the students interview their parents, married or divorced, on the
importance of marriage in American society. They should write a paper and be prepared
to share it with the class.
Chapters 17 & 18
Betty learns from someone else that Herman has joined the Navy without discussing it
with her. The objective of this lesson is to explore disillusionment when faced with an
ugly truth.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about truth. What does truth mean to the students? Is the
absolute truth always necessary in all cases? Or are there times when the stark truth
can be softened? Have the students imagine that they are Betty dealing with the fact
that Herman has joined the Navy without discussing it with her. What is Betty's reaction
to the news? What does Betty do in response to the news about Herman? Have the
students experienced stark truth either as the giver or the recipient? How did they feel in
either case? How did this impact their relationships and interactions today?
46
Divide the class into small groups to discuss truth. When is truth absolutely necessary?
When can truth slide a little bit? Have the students write a poem or song about truth as
they see it.
For homework, have the students write an essay on truth and include a hard lesson
they have learned about giving or receiving truth. What were the circumstances
surrounding the lesson? How would they avoid it again? What advice would they give to
someone else in similar circumstances?
Chapters 17 & 18
Lottie is afraid that she is going to lose Betty after Betty gets married. The objective of
this lesson is to explore the nature of fear.
Lesson
Lead the students in a discussion about fear. Can the students understand why Lottie is
afraid of losing Betty after Betty gets married? Why does Lottie have this fear? Is the
fear irrational or based on some substance? How does Lottie come to terms with the
changing nature of her relationship with Betty? What happens to calm Lottie's fears?
Can the students understand the special fear Lottie must have felt at the possibility of
losing someone so dear to her? Discuss.
What does the word "fear" conjure up for the students? Can they offer any examples of
when they have been afraid of something? What were the circumstances? What was
the outcome? How did they manage through it? Can they call on their coping
mechanisms when they are afraid of anything now? Have the students ever ridiculed
anyone about his/her fear of something or someone? Have the students been the victim
of ridicule because of a fear? Explain.
Divide the class into small groups and have them research people who have overcome
fear to achieve great things. Ask them to create a presentation in the format of their
choice to share with the class.
For homework, have the students read a self-help or motivational book about
overcoming fear and write a report on what they have learned.
47
Lesson 28 (from Chapter 19 and Postscript)
Objective
Betty's anxiety level is increased by the content of Herman's letters to her while she is
pregnant. The objective of this lesson is to explore the concept of emotions.
Lesson
Divide the class into groups of four and have them discuss possible reasons why Betty
has reason to be emotional. Describe some of the phases that Betty moves through on
her emotional journey. Are her reactions and behaviors normal for the situation? Why
are Herman's letters especially emotional for Betty? How do those emotions influence
Betty's decisions regarding her own experience? Discuss.
Lead a class discussion on Betty's personality traits. What was she like before she got
pregnant and Herman went to war? What are the emotional pressures Betty never
expected to experience? How will she need to adapt her personality going forward?
Have the students offer experiences they have had like this. Were they long-lasting or
fleeting? If appropriate, ask if they would be willing to go through such strong emotions
again.
During class, play some clips of TV shows or movies with which the students may not
be familiar. And here's the catch---hit the mute button--and let the students identify
emotions of the characters by body language, facial expressions, and other non-verbal
cues.
For homework, have the students research the concept of betrayal--which is a form of
abandonment--by interviewing people they know. Have them write a 500-word essay
presenting their thoughts on what personal disappointment can do to a person.
The relationship between Lottie and Betty forms the foundation for this book. The
objective of this lesson is to explore the mother-daughter bond.
48
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion of mother and daughter relationships. What is special
about this bond? How is this relationship different from the bond between fathers and
daughters? What happens if the mother-daughter bond is broken in any way or
strained? What about situations where daughters do not get to know their mothers? Is
there an evolution to the mother-daughter bond? How does the bond between Lottie
and Betty evolve? What are the stages in this type of relationship? What repair
mechanisms are available and useful when this important bond is altered in any way?
Divide the class into small groups and have them research the mother-daughter bond
from a psychological perspective. How is a girl's image and self esteem influenced by
maternal behavior? What other life-altering and life-affirming attributes evolve from this
primal relationship? What is the evolution of the relationship? Can death lessen the
bond or make it stronger? Explain.
Mother-daughter relationships can take many forms. Have the students write about their
relationships with their mothers. Boys and the students with absent mothers should
write about their particular situations as they relate to their mothers or the lack of the
maternal figure.
As a married woman with a child, Betty is finally able to make her own decisions and
plans for her life. The objective of this lesson is to explore the concept of owning your
own life.
Lesson
Lead the class in a discussion about what it means to own your own life. What do the
students think that that means? Ask for explanations. What does it mean to Betty to
have to make decisions for her and Marjorie without Charles? How does Betty feel
about finally being so independent of her strong mother? Is Betty especially
independent because Herman is away for the first two years of their marriage? Discuss.
Continue the class discussion on another day and direct the dialogue to the students'
lives. When do the students think they will reach a point when they own their own lives?
After high school graduation? After college graduation? After marriage? Does owning
49
your own life mean you must be able to financially support yourself? Or are there more
elements to it? What role do maturity and psychological wellness play in owning your
own life? Ask for explanations.
Divide the class into small groups and have them discuss what it means to become an
adult. What are the physical, emotional and social implications and responsibilities?
Reconvene the class and have the students engage in a broader discussion
incorporating the comments from all the groups.
For homework, have the students keep a journal for three months to see how their
feelings and opinions change as they get a little older and begin to understand their
world a little better.
50
Fun Activities
A CURE FOR DREAMS Soundtrack
Research the music of the mid-20th century, especially in Kentucky and North Carolina,
and create a CD to share with the class.
Character Charades
Write the names of the characters from the novel on slips of paper and place them in a
hat. Play a game of charades using the characters' names. Be sure to use what you
know about the characters from the novel to act out clues for your turn.
Cast a Play
Imagine that you are producing a theatrical version of A CURE FOR DREAMS today.
Who would you cast in the main roles if you were producing the play for a Broadway
run?
51
Re-Name the book
Have some fun and come up with some alternate titles for the book. Let your
imaginative side really come out!
Alternate Ending
Write an alternate ending for the book and share with the rest of the class.
Kentucky Travelogue
Create a travelogue about Kentucky, the setting for part of the story. Be sure to include
highlights of attractions, events and natural resources that will appeal to people
considering a trip to this beautiful state.
Truth or Dare
Truth is a major theme in this novel so have some fun with a game of Truth or Dare in
class. Just be sure to remain respectful and appropriate.
52
Porter's Store
Create a diorama of Porter's store including space for Lottie's card group.
53
Essay Topics
Essay Topic 1
Gibbons is a master at dramatic devices. Choose an example of symbolism, metaphors,
and irony, briefly describe them and identify the technique which they embody.
Essay Topic 2
What is the overall setting setting for the novel? Be sure to include geography, time
period and any pertinent popular culture events. Why did Gibbons choose to use these
places in the novel?
Essay Topic 3
Love is an important theme in A CURE FOR DREAMS. Can you cite an example to
support this theme? Name two other themes and cite examples to support your answer.
Essay Topic 4
Describe the role of the family in A CURE FOR DREAMS. What does it mean for each
of the main characters? How does the family evolve in its support of each other? How
typical is this family compared to most families living during the 20th century?
Essay Topic 5
Create a character study of Bridget. What are her physical characteristics? What are
her motivations? What are her fears? What are her dreams? What else can you say
about Bridget?
Essay Topic 6
Create a character study of Lottie. What are her physical characteristics? What are her
motivations? What are her fears? What are her dreams? What else can you say about
Lottie?
Essay Topic 7
Create a character study of Betty. What are her physical characteristics? What are her
motivations? What are her fears? What are her dreams? What else can you say about
Betty?
54
Essay Topic 8
Project into the future ten years after the end of the novel and write a brief synopsis for
Marjorie's life. Will the memories of her mother and grandmother still be such a powerful
presence in her life? What is the nature of her relationships based on what she learned
from her mother and grandmother?
Essay Topic 9
Compassion seems to be almost an unnamed character in the book. How pervasive is
the sense of abandonment? Why does it have such a prevalent place in the lives of the
characters? Explain how an inanimate object or characteristic can be a character.
Essay Topic 10
What is the significance of the book's title? What are some other possible titles for the
book. List at least five and cite your reasons for each.
Essay Topic 11
Explain the ongoing conflict between Charles and Lottie. What are the main sources of
the conflicts? Why does it perpetuate? Why does the conflict between Charles and
Lottie occur shortly after their marriage?
Essay Topic 12
The author uses several instances of foreshadowing in the story. Explain what
foreshadowing is and cite at least two examples making sure to explain what makes
each an instance of foreshadowing.
Essay Topic 13
A CURE FOR DREAMS is a classic story of loss and renewal. What does that
classification entail? Why does this novel fit into this category? Explain.
Essay Topic 14
The author uses more than one instance of irony in the book. Cite at least two other
examples you can identify in the book and note why they are examples of irony.
55
Essay Topic 15
Explain the role of women in the South in the 20th century when the women in the novel
are living their lives. What precedents do they feel compelled to follow? What
restrictions do they have? What freedoms did they have that 21st century women do not
have?
Essay Topic 16
The frustration of unfulfilled affection touches several characters in the story. Name at
least two characters who experience unfulfilled love and the situations that occur as a
result.
Essay Topic 17
The generation gap seems to be almost an unnamed character in the book. How
pervasive is the generation gap? Why does it have such a prevalent place in the
characters' lives? Explain how an inanimate object or characteristic can be a character.
Essay Topic 18
The author uses more than one iteration on the theme of disappointment. Identify at
least two characters who either embody or experience disappointment; then cite an
example to support your answers.
Essay Topic 19
The author uses more than one instance of irony in the book. Cite at least two other
examples you can identify in the novel and note why they are examples of irony.
Essay Topic 20
The story in A CURE FOR DREAMS is essentially told via flashbacks. What is a
flashback? Why would an author choose to utilize a flashback in his work? Are there
benefits to utilizing flashbacks when creating a work of fiction? Explain.
56
Short Essay Questions
1. What is the premise of A CURE FOR DREAMS?
3. How does the author use punctuation to indicate the speakers in the story?
5. What is Lottie's recurrent romantic fantasy and how does her real life differ from the
dream?
6. Describe how Charles and Lottie are so different from each other.
7. What illness does Betty contract as a child and what is the cause of it?
57
8. Why is Lottie so ashamed about Betty's illness?
9. What special talent does Lottie have and why does she take so much pride in it?
10. What is the nature of the club that Lottie organizes and why does Charles object to
it?
11. Because hers is not a happy marriage, how does Lottie instruct Betty in what to look
for in satisfying relationships?
12. According to Lottie, why is a man's name for his wife an indicator of her value to
him?
13. What is the connection that Betty draws between the Depression and infidelity and
which of Lottie's friends is directly affected?
14. How does Lottie intervene in Sade's marriage regarding her cheating husband?
58
15. Who does Lottie determine has killed Roy and why does she choose to keep quiet
about it?
17. How does the author show the close relationship between Lottie and Betty?
18. What are some mentions of popular culture that Betty notes in her story?
19. Who is Trudy Woodlief and why does she create such a stir when she arrives in
town?
20. Describe Trudy's behavior when Lottie and Betty visit her home to welcome her to
the community.
21. Why does Lottie take back the meal she had brought for Trudy and her children?
59
22. Why is Trudy raising her children on her own?
23. How does Lottie anonymously make sure that Trudy gets credit in Porter's store?
24. How does the author show Lottie's true character, especially in the circumstances
regarding Trudy?
26. What does Lottie do when Charles does nothing when a boy is killed at the mill?
27. How does Lottie punish Charles for his unconscionable behavior regarding the
death of the boy at the mill?
28. How does the author show that Charles is losing his rational mind?
60
29. Why is anger Lottie's reaction to Charles' death?
34. What piece of furniture does Lottie give to Trudy and for what does Trudy use it?
35. According to Trudy, what is the best part of being abandoned by her husband?
61
36. What is Lottie's philosophy on helping people in the community?
37. How has Lottie and Betty's relationship matured since Charles' death?
39. Why does Betty think that her mother will never move from Milk Farm Road?
40. Why does Lottie take a trip back to Ireland with her mother, Bridget?
41. Describe the trip to Ireland for Lottie and why does she bring Bridget back to
Kentucky?
42. Why does Betty feel such a strong desire to leave Milk Farm Road?
62
43. Describe Betty's life after she moves to Richmond.
45. How does Lottie know that Betty is in danger with her relationship with Stanton?
46. What are the two major revelations for Betty when she visits Stanton in the hospital?
47. What does Betty learn about Stanton's condition after she returns to Milk Farm
Road?
49. How does Betty learn that Herman has joined the Navy and what is her reaction?
63
50. What happens when Betty is unable to complete her letter to Herman?
51. Why does Lottie advise Betty to marry Herman before he goes to war?
52. Describe the flurry of pre-wedding activities and plan for Betty and Herman.
54. What does Herman's enthusiasm for going to war show about him?
55. What are Betty's plans for delivering her baby and what objection does she
encounter?
64
57. Describe the frantic day when Betty gives birth to her daughter.
59. Why do Polly and Betty decide to wait until after the birth of Betty's baby to summon
Lottie home?
65
Short Essay Questions Key
1. What is the premise of A CURE FOR DREAMS?
A CURE FOR DREAMS presents the story of four generations of women as told by a
mother to a daughter. The story begins in Bell County, Kentucky, in the early twentieth
century.
In an Introduction dated December 15, 1989, Marjorie Polly Randolph says that her
mother Betty Davies Randolph died the previous month. She says that she, her mother,
and her grandmother, Lottie O' Cadhain Davies always looked younger than their actual
age. Marjorie states that her mother loved to talk, and she loved listening to her mother.
3. How does the author use punctuation to indicate the speakers in the story?
Some of the punctuation gives clues that the story is a transcription of an oral history.
The entire text is within quotation marks. This means that Marjorie is writing the text as
it is told to her by her mother, Betty. The italicized passages are the direct quotes or
exact words spoken by Betty's mother, Lottie.
In these early chapters, it might be difficult for some readers to keep the characters
separate. For now, it is helpful to think of Marjorie as "author," Betty as "narrator," and
Lottie as "main character." In later chapters Betty will become more of an active
character, but by then readers will be more accustomed to distinguishing between the
two most significant characters.
5. What is Lottie's recurrent romantic fantasy and how does her real life differ
from the dream?
As a girl, Lottie has a recurring fantasy about meeting a man who approaches her on
horseback, tells her she is beautiful, and impresses her with his mastery of firearms
66
before he rides away. The man Lottie actually marries is far more ordinary and she
meets him at a wedding in 1917. The young man, Charles Davies, comes from a
Quaker family. Lottie's romantic vision is interesting in that it seems to be the rural
Kentucky version of a chivalrous knight. The man whom Lottie later marries, a pacifist
Quaker, is the opposite of the firearm shooting man of her fantasy.
6. Describe how Charles and Lottie are so different from each other.
Lottie and Charles seem to illustrate opposite personality types. Charles is single-
mindedly focused on work, and Lottie is full of life and more of a social extrovert. They
marry at a young age, an age before they could make accurate character assessments.
Lottie displays both a strong will and a creative nature in finding ways to pursue her
interests rather than submit to the will of her husband.
7. What illness does Betty contract as a child and what is the cause of it?
At the age of twelve Betty develops a finicky appetite and will eat only cornbread.
Betty's picky appetite leads her to develop pellagra, an illness common to people who
have only corn to eat. This is a source of embarrassment for Lottie, who prides herself
on being both a good mother and a knowledgeable person.
The doctor says that Betty is suffering from pellagra, and criticizes Lottie for not
providing better meals for Betty. He also says he intends to stop by the mill and tells
Charles what the problem is with his daughter. Charles uses the news as an occasion to
ridicule Lottie and Lottie is understandably ashamed.
9. What special talent does Lottie have and why does she take so much pride in
it?
Lottie has beautiful handwriting, but it is so ornate that she is the only person who can
read it easily. She often assists neighbors who cannot read with composing letters or
filling out paperwork. Lottie is especially fond of her literacy since she had to leave
school at the age of fifteen.
67
10. What is the nature of the club that Lottie organizes and why does Charles
object to it?
Lottie organizes a woman's social club that meets in the back of a local store. At the first
meeting there is too much talk of politics and Lottie knows that they must find another
focus if the club is to remain together. Lottie decides that the club should be a forum for
card playing and she even promotes the idea of gambling in meager amounts. Betty
becomes an excellent player. Charles hates gambling and Lottie alternates between
saying she goes only to watch and promising to stop going at all.
11. Because hers is not a happy marriage, how does Lottie instruct Betty in what
to look for in satisfying relationships?
Lottie instructs Betty in how to recognize a happy marriage by using other women in the
club as examples. While most of the women are in marriages that serve to illustrate
unhappy marriages, there is one that Lottie identifies as an example of a healthy, happy
relationship. Amanda and Richard Bethune enjoy a marriage unlike others in Lottie's
community. Richard enjoys buying gifts for Amanda, but Lottie tells Betty that the gifts
are not the true measure of how much Richard adores his wife.
12. According to Lottie, why is a man's name for his wife an indicator of her value
to him?
Lottie says that one can tell how a man feels about his wife by the way that he
addresses her in public. Some men do not use names or addresses at all. They simply
voice commands. Some men have pet names, and these are better than no name at all,
but according to Lottie the true indicator of a man who holds his wife in high esteem is
when he addresses her simply by her name.
13. What is the connection that Betty draws between the Depression and infidelity
and which of Lottie's friends is directly affected?
68
14. How does Lottie intervene in Sade's marriage regarding her cheating
husband?
Sade endures quietly, but she also confides in Lottie. Lottie asks Sade what she plans
to do and Sade says there is nothing she can do. Lottie cannot sit by and watch her
friend suffer, so she begins thinking of a way to stop the situation. Though she never
tells Sade that she has intervened, Lottie spreads a rumor about the woman Roy has
been seeing. In a short amount of time, the rumor gets back to Roy and he stops seeing
the woman. For a while Roy stays home and stops philandering.
15. Who does Lottie determine has killed Roy and why does she choose to keep
quiet about it?
In addition to being a good friend, Lottie is also an astute analyst of clues. Based on
what she sees at Sade's home, she knows that Sade has committed the murder, and
Lottie's idea of justice does not include the punishment of her friend. In fact, according
to Lottie, justice has already been served with the shooting of Roy. Lottie does not
hesitate to tamper with evidence at the crime scene.
When questioned by John Carroll, Sade says that perhaps a tramp committed the
murder because Roy had recently been rude to one. No one mounts a serious search
for the tramp because most believe that Roy deserved to die regardless of who
committed the murder. Sade begins to recover over time, and eventually she is far
happier than she had been in all the years she was married to Roy. Her children even
start visiting again.
17. How does the author show the close relationship between Lottie and Betty?
Betty begins school. She fits in well enough, though she still prefers the company of her
mother. Even in her teen years she is not as interested in boys as are the other girls her
age. Betty still prefers the company of her mother and her mother's friends. Betty does
develop a mild crush on a particular boy, but Lottie does not like that and takes the
opportunity to point out all of the boy's flaws.
69
18. What are some mentions of popular culture that Betty notes in her story?
Betty's narrative also gives some flavor of the times. The Lum and Abner she mentions
refers to a popular radio comedy of the time and the Bing she swoons over is Bing
Crosby, the most popular singer of the time.
19. Who is Trudy Woodlief and why does she create such a stir when she arrives
in town?
Betty has no close friends until 1937 when she becomes friends with Trudy Woodlief
despite the age difference. Trudy arrives at Milk Farm Road and immediately demands
credit at Porter's store. When refused, she flies into a public rage.
20. Describe Trudy's behavior when Lottie and Betty visit her home to welcome
her to the community.
Lottie and Betty take a meal to welcome the new family and see that Trudy has five
children, three of which are young toddlers covered in dirt and playing in the yard. When
they arrive at the house, Lottie and Betty see that Trudy is shaving her legs with a
straight razor. Even while she has guests, Trudy is not at all modest and continues
shaving her legs. Trudy shows no evidence of being grateful for the meal or the visit,
and she does not seem interested in making polite conversation with Lottie.
21. Why does Lottie take back the meal she had brought for Trudy and her
children?
After learning that Trudy has come to North Carolina from Louisiana, Lottie asks
questions about Louisiana. Lottie is shocked that Trudy answers only a few questions
and then asks her and Betty to leave. As Lottie and Betty leave, they see Trudy's
children in the kitchen making faces at the meal she has brought. Trudy explains that
the family hates ham. Lottie, thoroughly offended, takes back all the food.
Despite Lottie's dislike for Trudy, Betty is drawn to the newcomer. Trudy's children are
notorious thieves and so is her husband Tommy. First he steals dogs and then he
begins stealing copper. Tommy sells the copper and then abandons the family.
70
23. How does Lottie anonymously make sure that Trudy gets credit in Porter's
store?
One day Trudy arrives in Porter's store and again asks for credit. When she is denied,
she turns loose her children who begin stealing. Lottie and the other women playing
cards take the opportunity to say nice things to Trudy about the fact that she is
expecting twins. When Trudy leaves, the women take up a collection and give it to
Porter. They tell him they will do so periodically and he is to tell Trudy she has credit in
whatever amount the women are able to collect.
24. How does the author show Lottie's true character, especially in the
circumstances regarding Trudy?
This chapter reveals much about Lottie's character. Despite her dislike for Trudy, Lottie
cannot stand by and see a woman alone struggle to provide for her children. Lottie
takes charge of the situation and finds a way to help Trudy without Trudy knowing she is
being helped.
Charles's business at the mill slows, and he is home much more often than usual. This
creates friction between him and Lottie. Despite his constant claims of being financially
destitute, Lottie knows exactly how much they have in assets and she knows that they
are far better off than many other families. Lottie and Betty hear Charles complain of
being ruined and broke so often that they no longer notice.
26. What does Lottie do when Charles does nothing when a boy is killed at the
mill?
When a boy is killed at the mill, Charles refuses to halt production. Everyone, including
Lottie and Betty, see this as a callous act. When a sister of the victim comes to the
house and expresses outrage, Lottie gives the woman money for the funeral.
27. How does Lottie punish Charles for his unconscionable behavior regarding
the death of the boy at the mill?
That evening Lottie prepares dinner as usual, but when Charles sits down at the table to
71
eat, Lottie takes her plate outside and calls the neighbor's dogs. The dogs are
aggressive and do not like anyone but their owners and Lottie. Lottie puts her plate on
the ground and allows the dogs to eat. Charles comes outside to criticize Lottie for
wasting food on dogs and the dogs lunge at Charles. Charles flees into the house, out
the back of the house, into his car, and away from the property.
28. How does the author show that Charles is losing his rational mind?
Charles grows more and more irrational. When Lottie takes up fishing, Charles denies
her the ability to buy fishhooks. Once when Lottie wants to go into town to window shop,
Charles refuses to take her and says some hateful things to Betty. Partly out of anger,
Betty responds by buying expensive dresses. Lottie does the same and Charles is
furious. Lottie says that the spending spree is his fault. He does not respond but instead
walks out of the house.
Two weeks after the dress incident, Charles leaves home and does not return. The
following day he is found dead in the river. Lottie does not grieve. Instead she is angry.
The death is an obvious suicide, in part because Charles is wearing a suit and has no
fishing gear. The suicide cancels the life insurance policy that Charles carried.
Betty's mention of Charles losing reason finds fulfillment, first in Charles's irrational
exertion of control over Lottie and Betty and then in his suicide. Charles demonstrates
that all he ever cares about is business. When it begins to fail, he has nothing for which
he enjoys living.
The "Dionne quints" that Betty mentions refers to the Dionne quintuplets born in Canada
in 1934. They were the first known quintuplets to survive infancy, and they quickly
become a media sensation and tourist attraction.
72
32. What lessons does Trudy teach Betty regarding parenting?
Despite Trudy's unhealthy nutritional practices, Betty learns a great deal about child
care from Trudy, and the experience provides her with an opportunity to see first-hand
the demands on a parent in caring for children.
The "Gregg course" that Betty mentions refers to a course in Gregg shorthand.
Shorthand was a method of writing that used far fewer characters than regular
handwritten text. It was an important part of business and legal proceedings before the
advent of recording devices and word processing programs on computers.
34. What piece of furniture does Lottie give to Trudy and for what does Trudy use
it?
Lottie begins being kinder to Trudy's children despite her dislike for Trudy's lack of
manners. Despite her closeness to Trudy, Betty cannot remember the names of all
seven of Trudy's children. In an effort to help the family, Lottie tells Betty she should
help Trudy with laundry. Lottie also decides to give Trudy a nice chest of drawers that
she and Charles brought from Kentucky. Trudy does not use the drawers to store
clothes because she lacks a baby bed, and she uses the drawers to fashion beds for
the twins.
35. According to Trudy, what is the best part of being abandoned by her
husband?
During one of Betty and Trudy's conversations, Betty asks Trudy if she thinks she will
have more children. Trudy says that will not happen since she does not have a
husband. Trudy then tells Betty that that is the best part of being abandoned and left
alone; without a husband, she does not have to worry about getting pregnant.
Lottie's comment that, "Anytime somebody's not looking after themselves it becomes
your business," explains much about Lottie's views on community. Lottie truly cares for
the people around her.
73
37. How has Lottie and Betty's relationship matured since Charles' death?
Betty is beginning to understand Lottie more as a peer than as a superior. Betty is also
beginning to assert more of her own ideas and opinions. It is little wonder that Lottie did
not notice that Betty had a mind of her own previously; the two were allied in a constant
struggle against Charles, and so it seemed that all Betty did was follow Lottie's ideas.
The W.P.A that Betty mentions is the Works Projects Administration. The W.P.A. is the
largest of the New Deal programs, and it employs millions during the Great Depression.
Many of the structures built during the programs, such as bridges, roads, and buildings
still stand today.
39. Why does Betty think that her mother will never move from Milk Farm Road?
Betty asks Lottie about the possibility of moving to another area, and Lottie is against
the idea. Betty then realizes that Lottie is fond of her status at Milk Farm Road and
knows that elsewhere she would not enjoy the same popularity.
40. Why does Lottie take a trip back to Ireland with her mother, Bridget?
News arrives from Lottie's family in Kentucky that Lottie's mother, Bridget, believes she
will die soon and she wants to do so back in Ireland. Lottie's sisters decide that Lottie
should be the person to accompany Bridget back to Galway and they make the
arrangements without asking Lottie. Betty and Lottie travel back to Kentucky. Betty will
stay with the relatives in Kentucky while Lottie takes Bridget to Ireland.
41. Describe the trip to Ireland for Lottie and why does she bring Bridget back to
Kentucky?
During the trip to Ireland, Bridget is a constant embarrassment to Lottie, and Bridget's
behavior becomes even worse at the family's house in Galway. She makes all sorts of
unreasonable demands, including having the women perform a death watch. Unable to
endure her mother's awful behavior, Lottie takes a room at a nearby inn. Lottie and
Bridget return to the United States, and Bridget outlives almost everyone she has ever
known.
74
42. Why does Betty feel such a strong desire to leave Milk Farm Road?
After returning to Milk Farm Road from Kentucky, Betty soon has the desire to leave
again. She worries that she will not find a husband if she stays at home. Lottie is not at
all understanding of Betty's concerns. Betty confides in Trudy again, but this time Trudy
is not much more understanding than Lottie. Trudy tells Betty to either do something or
be content with her current situation.
In Richmond, Betty moves into a rooming house with other young women and takes
classes. Betty's first job is as a clerk at a candy manufacturer but she does not like the
job. In time, she meets another young woman who helps her get a job at a department
store called Kresge's. While there she often buys gifts for Lottie, Polly and others.
Rather than spend time with young women her age, Betty spends time with the older
women who work at the department store.
Betty meets a frequent customer named Stanton. Soon Stanton becomes interested in
Betty and the two begin to date. Stanton is fond of the social scene and Betty
accompanies him to parties. Unlike almost everyone else at the parties, Betty does not
drink, but the late hours cause her to feel tired at work and school, so Stanton gives her
pep pills.
45. How does Lottie know that Betty is in danger with her relationship with
Stanton?
Betty's naivete puts her in a dangerous situation. She knows nothing about the dangers
of using drugs in a recreational manner, nor does she know how to recognize the
symptoms of one who has abused them to the point of suffering ill effects. Lottie,
however, notices immediately upon meeting Stanton. It is unclear how Lottie knows.
Likely she has never been around those who abuse pharmaceutical medication.
Perhaps Lottie recognizes Stanton's ill health because of her family history of
alcoholism, or perhaps this incident is simply another example of Lottie's acute powers
of observation.
75
46. What are the two major revelations for Betty when she visits Stanton in the
hospital?
With Betty's visit to the hospital comes the abrupt and painful revelation that Stanton is
a drug abuser, but more importantly comes the revelation of the lack of regard that
Stanton has for Betty. For the first time Betty notices that Stanton addresses her as
"girlie" and the lesson her mother tried to teach her years ago about how men address
women begins to make sense.
47. What does Betty learn about Stanton's condition after she returns to Milk
Farm Road?
Soon after arriving home Betty receives a letter from a coworker describing Stanton's
poor condition and behavior. Three months later she receives another letter informing
her that Stanton has died from drug abuse. Though Betty is still angry at Stanton, she is
sorry to hear that he has died.
The person to whom Lottie refers is Herman Randolph, the son of the man who leased
the mill and farm after Charles died. One day Betty is working with her mother and
Herman arrives. Betty finds him attractive and the two take a walk. They agree to see a
movie together and soon begin dating. When Lottie and Polly see how much time Betty
and Herman spend together they caution her about getting pregnant.
49. How does Betty learn that Herman has joined the Navy and what is her
reaction?
With the outbreak of war, Herman wants to join the military. He could get out of service
because of being a farmer. Betty worries about Herman and wishes he would not join.
Betty hears from someone else that Herman has decided to join the Navy, and she is
angry.
50. What happens when Betty is unable to complete her letter to Herman?
Betty tries to write a letter to Herman but has difficulty. Lottie steps in and completes the
letter. Lottie's taking over the letter writing seems at first to be an example of a mother
76
being too intrusive into a daughter's affairs, but it later shows the bond and trust these
women share.
51. Why does Lottie advise Betty to marry Herman before he goes to war?
It is not completely clear why Lottie advises Betty to marry Herman before he departs
for war. The most likely explanation is that Lottie knows that marrying Herman will
ensure that Betty remains at home even while Herman is away.
52. Describe the flurry of pre-wedding activities and plan for Betty and Herman.
Betty works quickly to make a wedding dress. Herman's mother hosts a wedding
shower and all of the women bring gifts. A quilt from Sade and gifts from Trudy's
children bring Betty to tears. Betty and Herman's plan calls for him to live in Lottie's
house after returning from the military and adding to the house after a baby is born.
Upon seeing her daughter get married, Lottie has to be reminded that Betty is not going
anywhere. She is getting married, but she is remaining at home. Perhaps Lottie
remembers how her own marriage was a means for her to escape her family.
54. What does Herman's enthusiasm for going to war show about him?
Betty is disappointed with the location of the honeymoon and at times she has to remind
Herman to enjoy the honeymoon and stop talking about how eager he is to go to war.
Herman's eagerness to go to war illustrates his youth and naivety.
55. What are Betty's plans for delivering her baby and what objection does she
encounter?
When Betty becomes pregnant she decides to have the baby at the hospital. This
offends Polly Deal. Polly says that maternity wards are just a way to trick people out of
money.
77
56. Why are Herman's letters a source of anxiety for Betty?
Letters from Herman often aggravate Betty's anxiety level. Herman writes about the
dangers of war and according to his letters he is constantly facing impending death.
Herman continues to be insensitive to Betty's worries concerning his welfare. This is not
a matter of him being intentionally uncaring so much as it is a matter of him being
youthful and unable to see things from Betty's perspective.
57. Describe the frantic day when Betty gives birth to her daughter.
Two days after Thanksgiving Betty goes into labor. She is home alone and she cannot
reach anyone on the telephone. Betty is well into labor when Polly arrives. Polly
immediately takes charge. She says Betty should have been making preparations in
case she had to give birth alone instead of waiting by the telephone and crying. Betty
says that someone should get Lottie, but Polly advises that it will be better to wait until
after the delivery to inform Lottie. Betty agrees.
The "Twilight Sleep" that Betty mentions is a method of relieving pain during medical
procedures. It entails morphine and other drugs. In addition to blocking the perception of
pain, the drugs produce a state of temporary amnesia and other complications.
59. Why do Polly and Betty decide to wait until after the birth of Betty's baby to
summon Lottie home?
It is charming how Polly and Betty decide to wait until after the birth to inform Lottie.
These two women hold Lottie in high regard, but they know that her assertive
personality, especially when worried about her daughter, will not be the best addition to
the situation.
Betty says that her earliest memories are of the sounds of women talking. It is a
tradition she carries on well.
78
Multiple Choice
Introduction and Chapters 1 & 2
1. In what state does A CURE FOR DREAMS begin?
(a) Maine.
(b) California.
(c) Kentucky.
(d) Indiana.
5. In the Introduction, what does Marjorie state that her mother loved to do?
(a) Talk.
(b) Hunt.
(c) Bake.
(d) Sew.
79
7. Who did Lottie marry in 1917?
(a) Paul Shannon.
(b) Charles Davies.
(c) Martin O'Leary.
(d) Charles Preston.
13. What does Lottie's mother do when she learns that Lottie is dating Charles?
(a) Smashes Lottie's hands with firewood.
(b) Grounds her for a month.
(c) Sends her back to Ireland.
(d) Sends her to a convent school.
80
14. What do the men in Lottie's family do all day, every day?
(a) Drink.
(b) Sing.
(c) Sleep.
(d) Curse.
15. What do the men in Lottie's family want their daughters to do?
(a) Work in the fields.
(b) Cook for them.
(c) Get married early.
(d) Go to college.
18. Where do Lottie and her husband move when they leave Kentucky?
(a) Vermont.
(b) North Carolina.
(c) Ohio.
(d) California.
Chapters 3 & 4
19. What is the only food Betty will eat when she is twelve?
(a) Oatmeal.
(b) Pork chops.
(c) Apples.
(d) Cornbread.
81
21. Betty's mother thinks Betty's diet is fine as long as ____________________.
(a) She eats enough to remain full.
(b) She drinks her milk too.
(c) She takes vitamins too.
(d) She grows out of this stage.
24. What does the doctor say is the source of Betty's illness?
(a) A virus.
(b) Her diet of eating only corn.
(c) Going swimming with an earache.
(d) A flu epidemic.
82
28. What is the state of Lottie and Charles' marriage in Chapter 4?
(a) They are divorced.
(b) They are separated.
(c) They have renewed their wedding vows.
(d) They are growing apart.
30. What is the main activity of the women's group that Lottie forms.
(a) Teaching cooking.
(b) Quilting.
(c) Card playing.
(d) Hospital volunteering.
32. Lottie points out other women in the club to Betty as examples of
__________________.
(a) Compassionate people.
(b) Wonderful style.
(c) Happy marriages.
(d) Bad hairstyles.
33. According to Lottie, the most happily married couple in the community is
___________________.
(a) Margaret and James Towson.
(b) Elizabeth and Charles Levitt.
(c) Amanda and Richard Bethune.
(d) Sara and Edward Grayson.
34. Lottie says that a person can tell how a man feels about his wife by
_____________________.
(a) The trips he arranges for the couple.
(b) The way he addresses her in public.
(c) The size of the house in which they live.
(d) The expensive gifts he gives her.
83
35. According to Lottie, the true indicator of a man who holds his wife in high
esteem is when he addresses her by _______________________.
(a) Her nickname.
(b) Her job.
(c) Her name.
(d) Her sex.
36. Men who order their wives around by command treat them like
_______________.
(a) Indentured servants.
(b) School girls.
(c) Slaves.
(d) Dogs.
Chapters 5 & 6
37. In Chapter 5, America is suffering through ___________________.
(a) World War I.
(b) The Great Depression.
(c) World War II.
(d) The Korean War.
84
41. Sade's husband has an affair after ___________________.
(a) He loses his job.
(b) His cancer scare.
(c) His midlife crisis.
(d) Sade goes through menopause.
43. How does Lottie get Sade's husband to stop cheating on her?
(a) She puts an ad in the local paper about his behavior.
(b) She spreads a rumor about the woman he has been seeing.
(c) She shoots him.
(d) She asks the minister to talk to him.
45. What happens to Roy in the year after his affair with another woman?
(a) He moves to New York.
(b) He contracts AIDS.
(c) He is murdered.
(d) He leaves his wife.
47. What does Lottie note about Sade's quilt when she sees it at Sade's house?
(a) It is bigger than planned.
(b) The squares are uneven.
(c) The recent stitching is very bad.
(d) It is almost finished.
85
48. Who does Lottie think killed Sade's husband?
(a) Sade.
(b) A vagrant.
(c) An escaped prisoner.
(d) Joe.
49. Who does Sade tell the authorities probably killed her husband?
(a) Joe.
(b) A tramp.
(c) His boss.
(d) Their son.
52. What do Lottie and Sade never speak about during their long friendship?
(a) Betty's illness.
(b) Roy's murder.
(c) Charles' infidelity.
(d) Lottie's childhood.
53. In her teen years, Betty is not as interested in ________________ as other girls
are.
(a) Clothes.
(b) Cheerleading.
(c) Boys.
(d) Make-up.
54. Betty fits in well at school but still prefers the company of
____________________.
(a) Her mother.
(b) Her dolls.
(c) Her dog.
(d) Her father.
86
Chapters 7 & 8
55. Who is Betty's first true friend?
(a) Trudy Woodlief.
(b) Margie Watson.
(c) Joanne Shroyer.
(d) Melanie Kerrigan.
56. What is notable about the friendship between Betty and the person in #55?
(a) Betty is much younger.
(b) They look like they could be twins.
(c) They both have green eyes.
(d) They are both redheads.
57. What is the name of the community where Lottie and Betty live?
(a) Hattiesville.
(b) Hogpath Road.
(c) Milk Farm Road.
(d) Crystal Lake.
58. Why does the person in #55 create a scene at the local store?
(a) Her order has been delayed.
(b) A clerk spills molasses on her.
(c) They are out of sugar.
(d) She is denied credit.
60. What is the person in #55 doing when Lottie and Betty visit?
(a) Cooking dinner.
(b) Mowing the grass.
(c) Hanging out wash.
(d) Shaving her legs.
87
62. What is the main course of the dinner that Lottie and Betty take to the new
family in town?
(a) Fried Chicken.
(b) Ham.
(c) Roast Beef.
(d) Meat Loaf.
64. What does Lottie take with her when she and Betty leave Trudy's house?
(a) Laundry.
(b) Recipes.
(c) The meal they brought.
(d) Fashion magazines.
88
69. The women playing cards say nice things to Trudy about
________________________.
(a) The flattering color of her sweater.
(b) Her hairstyle.
(c) Her cooking.
(d) Her being pregnant with twins.
72. Despite her dislike for Trudy, who still finds a way to help the woman care for
her children?
(a) Sally Jo.
(b) Lottie.
(c) Etta.
(d) Marie.
Chapters 9 & 10
73. What type of business does Charles run?
(a) General store.
(b) Gas station.
(c) Men's clothing store.
(d) Mill.
89
75. What does Charles refuse to do when a boy is killed at the mill?
(a) Pay for the funeral.
(b) Send flowers.
(c) Halt production.
(d) Call his parents.
77. Who pays for the funeral of the boy killed at the mill?
(a) The Methodist Church.
(b) His parents.
(c) The city council.
(d) Lottie.
78. What does Lottie do with her dinner that makes Charles angry?
(a) She throws it on the floor.
(b) She flushes it down the commode.
(c) She gives it to the neighbor's dogs.
(d) She puts in on the garden.
79. Which of the following does Charles NOT do when the neighbor's dogs lunge
at him?
(a) Shoot the dogs.
(b) Leave the house by the back door.
(c) Run into the house.
(d) Drive away in his car.
90
82. What do Lottie and Betty do after Charles refuses to take them to town to
window shop?
(a) Buy expensive dresses.
(b) Burn his dinner.
(c) Leave town for a few days.
(d) Hitchhike into town.
86. What insect does Betty mention that feeds on cotton crops?
(a) Grasshopper.
(b) Boll Weevil.
(c) Ladybug.
(d) Praying Mantis.
87. What is the only thing Charles ever cared about in his life?
(a) His family.
(b) Business.
(c) Fishing.
(d) Hunting.
88. Who is the U.S. President at the beginning of the Great Depression?
(a) Franklin D. Roosevelt.
(b) Grover Cleveland.
(c) William Harding.
(d) Herbert Hoover.
91
89. Who do most Americans blame for the Great Depression?
(a) Herbert Hoover.
(b) Abraham Lincoln.
(c) Lyndon Johnson.
(d) Richard Nixon.
Chapters 11 & 12
91. Trudy gives birth to __________________.
(a) Twin boys.
(b) A girl.
(c) Twin girls.
(d) A boy.
94. Betty mentions the _____________________ who are the first known
quintuplets to survive infancy.
(a) Darlington quints.
(b) Westchester quints.
(c) Dionne quints.
(d) Davidson quints.
92
95. In what country were the quintuplets in #94 born?
(a) Canada.
(b) Spain.
(c) England.
(d) United States.
99. What does Trudy do with the dresser that Lottie gives her?
(a) Uses it for a TV stand.
(b) Stores out of season clothes in it.
(c) Puts canned goods in the drawers.
(d) Makes beds for the twins in the drawers.
100. What does Trudy tell Betty is the best part of being abandoned by her
husband?
(a) She can spend money any way she wants.
(b) She can save money on food.
(c) She doesn't have to listen to him snore.
(d) She doesn't have to worry about getting pregnant.
93
102. Why does Lottie send Betty to Trudy's house with a hammer and nails?
(a) To fix furniture.
(b) To hang pictures.
(c) To build tables.
(d) To make clothes hooks.
104. Betty learns a lot from Trudy regarding marriage and __________________.
(a) Finances.
(b) Career.
(c) Cooking.
(d) Pregnancy.
105. Lottie comments that "Anytime somebody's not looking after themselves,
________________________."
(a) It becomes your business.
(b) It's their own fault.
(c) It shows a depressed state of mind.
(d) A big change is coming.
107. Why does Trudy tell Betty that Trudy will not have any more children?
(a) She can't take care of the ones she has now.
(b) She has had a preventive procedure.
(c) She does not have a husband.
(d) She will have an abortion first.
94
Chapters 13 & 14
109. What do women in the community often ask Lottie?
(a) If she will run for mayor.
(b) If she will ever remarry.
(c) If she will teach them to quilt.
(d) If she will open a restaurant.
114. Why does Betty worry about staying in Milk Farm Road?
(a) She will not find a husband.
(b) She thinks the water is contaminated.
(c) She'll never see a Broadway play.
(d) Her mother will be too dependent on her.
95
116. What news arrives from Kentucky regarding Lottie's mother, Bridget?
(a) Bridget has gone blind from diabetes.
(b) Bridget has had a stroke.
(c) Bridget wants to go back to Ireland to die.
(d) Bridget's 100th birthday will be celebrated with a big party.
120. Betty discovers that all of her father's family moved from Kentucky to
___________________.
(a) Tennessee.
(b) Georgia.
(c) Ohio.
(d) Indiana.
121. What does Bridget make some of the local women in Ireland do while she is
there?
(a) Read to her.
(b) Take her shopping.
(c) Perform a deathwatch.
(d) Cook her meals.
122. Who returns to the United States with Lottie after the Ireland trip?
(a) Claire.
(b) Mary.
(c) Siobbhan.
(d) Bridget.
96
123. Where does Betty decide to move?
(a) Richmond, Virginia.
(b) Charlotte, North Carolina.
(c) Atlanta, Georgia.
(d) Cincinnati, Ohio.
Chapters 15 & 16
127. Where does Betty live in Richmond?
(a) A dorm.
(b) An apartment.
(c) A hotel.
(d) A rooming house.
97
130. At what department store does Betty get her second job?
(a) Macy's.
(b) Bloomingdale's.
(c) Kresge's.
(d) Kohl's.
132. Which customer does Betty meet at the store and begin to date?
(a) Maguire.
(b) Willston.
(c) Stanton.
(d) Hall.
134. What does Stanton give to Betty to make her feel less tired?
(a) Pep pills.
(b) Vitamin B shots.
(c) Coffee.
(d) Oxygen treatments.
135. What does Lottie notice about Stanton when she meets him?
(a) He has blue lips.
(b) He is very polite.
(c) He has a strong Southern accent.
(d) He is a con man.
98
137. What does Stanton want Betty to bring to him at the hospital?
(a) Candy.
(b) Radio.
(c) Cigarettes.
(d) Magazines.
138. What name does Stanton call Betty as she leaves the hospital?
(a) Honey.
(b) Girlie.
(c) Cutie pie.
(d) Baby doll.
139. What does Lottie want Betty to do when Betty tells her the truth about
Stanton?
(a) Help Stanton with his recovery.
(b) Take a correspondence course.
(c) Move to a different dorm.
(d) Come home.
140. When she returns home, Betty learns that _________________ slapped Polly.
(a) The mailman.
(b) Jake.
(c) A wealthy woman.
(d) Lottie.
142. Who is the young man with whom Betty is falling in love when she returns
home?
(a) Mike Kerrigan.
(b) Herman Randolph.
(c) Eddie Sparks.
(d) John Edwards.
143. How had Betty met the young man in #142 many years ago?
(a) They went to the same church.
(b) They met at a Spring dance.
(c) They were in the same class at school.
(d) His father leased the mill and farm after Charles died.
99
144. Lottie and Polly caution Betty about ____________________.
(a) Staying out too late.
(b) Going to so many parties.
(c) Wearing her skirts too short.
(d) Not getting pregnant.
Chapters 17 & 18
145. What war breaks out in Chapter 17?
(a) World War I.
(b) The Korean War.
(c) World War II.
(d) The Vietnam War.
148. What does Lottie do when Betty has difficulty writing a letter to Herman?
(a) Betty sends a telegram instead.
(b) Lottie writes the letter.
(c) Lottie drives to see Herman.
(d) Lottie phones Herman.
149. What advice does Lottie give Betty regarding Herman's going to war?
(a) Tell him she will wait for him.
(b) Marry him before he leaves.
(c) Forget about him.
(d) Become a Navy nurse.
100
151. Who hosts a wedding shower for Betty?
(a) Herman's mother.
(b) Lottie.
(c) Trudy.
(d) Ava.
153. Where do Betty and Herman plan to live when he returns from war?
(a) Lottie's house.
(b) The Bonbright cottage.
(c) An apartment.
(d) A new house.
156. How does Betty feel about the location of the honeymoon?
(a) Thrilled.
(b) Pleased.
(c) No reaction.
(d) Disappointed.
101
158. How does Herman depart for war?
(a) Bus.
(b) Train.
(c) Amtrak.
(d) Plane.
160. Lottie recalls that her reason for getting married was
________________________.
(a) Love for Charles.
(b) Fear of being an old maid.
(c) To move to a different city.
(d) To escape her family.
102
164. Who is offended by Betty's choice of location to deliver her baby?
(a) Lottie.
(b) Herman's mother.
(c) Sade.
(d) Polly.
165. Who says that maternity wards are just a way to trick people out of money?
(a) Sade.
(b) Lottie.
(c) Polly.
(d) Trudy.
169. Betty goes into labor two days after which holiday?
(a) Thanksgiving.
(b) Fourth of July.
(c) Christmas.
(d) Easter.
103
171. Where is Betty when she goes into labor?
(a) A restaurant.
(b) Home.
(c) The store.
(d) Church.
174. When does Polly think Lottie should be notified that Betty is in labor?
(a) When Betty is fully dilated.
(b) As soon as possible.
(c) After the baby is born.
(d) When Lottie returns from Lexington.
104
178. How does Lottie feel about the name given to Betty's child?
(a) She loves it.
(b) She despises it.
(c) She does not like it.
(d) She has no feelings about it.
179. How old is Betty's child when Herman returns from war?
(a) 2.
(b) 1.
(c) 4.
(d) 3.
105
Multiple Choice Key
1. C 11. A 21. A 31. C 41. D 51. A
2. C 12. B 22. C 32. C 42. A 52. B
3. D 13. A 23. D 33. C 43. B 53. C
4. A 14. A 24. B 34. B 44. D 54. A
5. A 15. B 25. B 35. C 45. C 55. A
6. D 16. B 26. A 36. D 46. B 56. A
7. B 17. A 27. C 37. B 47. C 57. C
8. D 18. B 28. D 38. B 48. A 58. D
9. D 19. D 29. A 39. D 49. B 59. D
10. B 20. A 30. C 40. C 50. B 60. D
106
Short Answer Questions
1. In what state does A CURE FOR DREAMS begin?
5. In the Introduction, what does Marjorie state that her mother loved to do?
107
8. What religion does Lottie's husband practice?
13. What does Lottie's mother do when she learns that Lottie is dating Charles?
14. What do the men in Lottie's family do all day, every day?
108
15. What do the men in Lottie's family want their daughters to do?
18. Where do Lottie and her husband move when they leave Kentucky?
19. What is the only food Betty will eat when she is twelve?
109
22. What disease does Betty contract?
24. What does the doctor say is the source of Betty's illness?
110
29. How can Lottie best be described?
30. What is the main activity of the women's group that Lottie forms.
32. Lottie points out other women in the club to Betty as examples of
__________________.
33. According to Lottie, the most happily married couple in the community is
___________________.
34. Lottie says that a person can tell how a man feels about his wife by
_____________________.
35. According to Lottie, the true indicator of a man who holds his wife in high esteem is
when he addresses her by _______________________.
111
36. Men who order their wives around by command treat them like _______________.
112
43. How does Lottie get Sade's husband to stop cheating on her?
45. What happens to Roy in the year after his affair with another woman?
47. What does Lottie note about Sade's quilt when she sees it at Sade's house?
49. Who does Sade tell the authorities probably killed her husband?
113
50. Why is no serious search ever launched for Roy's killer?
52. What do Lottie and Sade never speak about during their long friendship?
53. In her teen years, Betty is not as interested in ________________ as other girls are.
54. Betty fits in well at school but still prefers the company of ____________________.
56. What is notable about the friendship between Betty and the person in #55?
114
57. What is the name of the community where Lottie and Betty live?
58. Why does the person in #55 create a scene at the local store?
60. What is the person in #55 doing when Lottie and Betty visit?
62. What is the main course of the dinner that Lottie and Betty take to the new family in
town?
115
64. What does Lottie take with her when she and Betty leave Trudy's house?
69. The women playing cards say nice things to Trudy about
________________________.
116
71. What are Franklin D. Roosevelt's national recovery programs called?
72. Despite her dislike for Trudy, who still finds a way to help the woman care for her
children?
75. What does Charles refuse to do when a boy is killed at the mill?
77. Who pays for the funeral of the boy killed at the mill?
117
78. What does Lottie do with her dinner that makes Charles angry?
79. Which of the following does Charles NOT do when the neighbor's dogs lunge at
him?
82. What do Lottie and Betty do after Charles refuses to take them to town to window
shop?
118
85. Why is Lottie angry about Charles' death?
86. What insect does Betty mention that feeds on cotton crops?
87. What is the only thing Charles ever cared about in his life?
88. Who is the U.S. President at the beginning of the Great Depression?
119
92. How old is Betty in Chapter 11?
94. Betty mentions the _____________________ who are the first known quintuplets to
survive infancy.
120
99. What does Trudy do with the dresser that Lottie gives her?
100. What does Trudy tell Betty is the best part of being abandoned by her husband?
102. Why does Lottie send Betty to Trudy's house with a hammer and nails?
104. Betty learns a lot from Trudy regarding marriage and __________________.
105. Lottie comments that "Anytime somebody's not looking after themselves,
________________________."
121
106. The health department enlists Lottie's help to ________________________.
107. Why does Trudy tell Betty that Trudy will not have any more children?
122
113. What surprises Lottie about Betty?
114. Why does Betty worry about staying in Milk Farm Road?
116. What news arrives from Kentucky regarding Lottie's mother, Bridget?
123
120. Betty discovers that all of her father's family moved from Kentucky to
___________________.
121. What does Bridget make some of the local women in Ireland do while she is there?
122. Who returns to the United States with Lottie after the Ireland trip?
124
127. Where does Betty live in Richmond?
130. At what department store does Betty get her second job?
132. Which customer does Betty meet at the store and begin to date?
125
134. What does Stanton give to Betty to make her feel less tired?
135. What does Lottie notice about Stanton when she meets him?
137. What does Stanton want Betty to bring to him at the hospital?
138. What name does Stanton call Betty as she leaves the hospital?
139. What does Lottie want Betty to do when Betty tells her the truth about Stanton?
140. When she returns home, Betty learns that _________________ slapped Polly.
126
141. What does Betty learn from a friend about Stanton?
142. Who is the young man with whom Betty is falling in love when she returns home?
143. How had Betty met the young man in #142 many years ago?
127
148. What does Lottie do when Betty has difficulty writing a letter to Herman?
149. What advice does Lottie give Betty regarding Herman's going to war?
153. Where do Betty and Herman plan to live when he returns from war?
128
155. Betty has to remind Lottie that Betty is ___________________________.
156. How does Betty feel about the location of the honeymoon?
160. Lottie recalls that her reason for getting married was
________________________.
129
162. Where do Betty and Herman go after their honeymoon?
165. Who says that maternity wards are just a way to trick people out of money?
130
169. Betty goes into labor two days after which holiday?
174. When does Polly think Lottie should be notified that Betty is in labor?
131
176. What does Betty name her child?
178. How does Lottie feel about the name given to Betty's child?
179. How old is Betty's child when Herman returns from war?
132
Short Answer Questions Key
1. In what state does A CURE FOR DREAMS begin?
Kentucky.
5. In the Introduction, what does Marjorie state that her mother loved to do?
Talk.
Betty.
Charles Davies.
133
8. What religion does Lottie's husband practice?
Quaker.
Irish.
Bridget.
Catholic.
13. What does Lottie's mother do when she learns that Lottie is dating Charles?
14. What do the men in Lottie's family do all day, every day?
Drink.
134
15. What do the men in Lottie's family want their daughters to do?
16.
18. Where do Lottie and her husband move when they leave Kentucky?
North Carolina.
19. What is the only food Betty will eat when she is twelve?
Cornbread.
Lottie.
135
22. What disease does Betty contract?
Pellagra.
24. What does the doctor say is the source of Betty's illness?
Charles.
15.
Handwriting.
136
29. How can Lottie best be described?
Outgoing.
30. What is the main activity of the women's group that Lottie forms.
Card playing.
Betty.
32. Lottie points out other women in the club to Betty as examples of
__________________.
Happy marriages.
33. According to Lottie, the most happily married couple in the community is
___________________.
34. Lottie says that a person can tell how a man feels about his wife by
_____________________.
35. According to Lottie, the true indicator of a man who holds his wife in high
esteem is when he addresses her by _______________________.
Her name.
137
36. Men who order their wives around by command treat them like
_______________.
Dogs.
Infidelity.
Dupin.
Roy.
138
43. How does Lottie get Sade's husband to stop cheating on her?
Syphilis.
45. What happens to Roy in the year after his affair with another woman?
He is murdered.
Sheriff deputy.
47. What does Lottie note about Sade's quilt when she sees it at Sade's house?
Sade.
49. Who does Sade tell the authorities probably killed her husband?
A tramp.
139
50. Why is no serious search ever launched for Roy's killer?
52. What do Lottie and Sade never speak about during their long friendship?
Roy's murder.
53. In her teen years, Betty is not as interested in ________________ as other girls
are.
Boys.
54. Betty fits in well at school but still prefers the company of
____________________.
Her mother.
Trudy Woodlief.
56. What is notable about the friendship between Betty and the person in #55?
140
57. What is the name of the community where Lottie and Betty live?
58. Why does the person in #55 create a scene at the local store?
5.
60. What is the person in #55 doing when Lottie and Betty visit?
Louisiana.
62. What is the main course of the dinner that Lottie and Betty take to the new
family in town?
Ham.
Huey Long.
141
64. What does Lottie take with her when she and Betty leave Trudy's house?
Tommy.
Copper.
Thieves.
Porter's.
69. The women playing cards say nice things to Trudy about
________________________.
142
71. What are Franklin D. Roosevelt's national recovery programs called?
72. Despite her dislike for Trudy, who still finds a way to help the woman care for
her children?
Lottie.
Mill.
75. What does Charles refuse to do when a boy is killed at the mill?
Halt production.
1938.
77. Who pays for the funeral of the boy killed at the mill?
Lottie.
143
78. What does Lottie do with her dinner that makes Charles angry?
79. Which of the following does Charles NOT do when the neighbor's dogs lunge
at him?
Irrational.
Fishhooks.
82. What do Lottie and Betty do after Charles refuses to take them to town to
window shop?
The river.
Suicide.
144
85. Why is Lottie angry about Charles' death?
86. What insect does Betty mention that feeds on cotton crops?
Boll Weevil.
87. What is the only thing Charles ever cared about in his life?
Business.
88. Who is the U.S. President at the beginning of the Great Depression?
Herbert Hoover.
Herbert Hoover.
Twin boys.
145
92. How old is Betty in Chapter 11?
18.
94. Betty mentions the _____________________ who are the first known
quintuplets to survive infancy.
Dionne quints.
Canada.
7.
Their names.
Laundry.
146
99. What does Trudy do with the dresser that Lottie gives her?
100. What does Trudy tell Betty is the best part of being abandoned by her
husband?
A baby crib.
102. Why does Lottie send Betty to Trudy's house with a hammer and nails?
Shorthand.
104. Betty learns a lot from Trudy regarding marriage and __________________.
Pregnancy.
105. Lottie comments that "Anytime somebody's not looking after themselves,
________________________."
147
106. The health department enlists Lottie's help to ________________________.
107. Why does Trudy tell Betty that Trudy will not have any more children?
1934.
148
113. What surprises Lottie about Betty?
114. Why does Betty worry about staying in Milk Farm Road?
New York.
116. What news arrives from Kentucky regarding Lottie's mother, Bridget?
Train.
149
120. Betty discovers that all of her father's family moved from Kentucky to
___________________.
Tennessee.
121. What does Bridget make some of the local women in Ireland do while she is
there?
Perform a deathwatch.
122. Who returns to the United States with Lottie after the Ireland trip?
Bridget.
Richmond, Virginia.
Polly.
Undergarments.
150
127. Where does Betty live in Richmond?
A rooming house.
Clerk.
Candy factory.
130. At what department store does Betty get her second job?
Kresge's.
132. Which customer does Betty meet at the store and begin to date?
Stanton.
151
134. What does Stanton give to Betty to make her feel less tired?
Pep pills.
135. What does Lottie notice about Stanton when she meets him?
Drug abuse.
137. What does Stanton want Betty to bring to him at the hospital?
Cigarettes.
138. What name does Stanton call Betty as she leaves the hospital?
Girlie.
139. What does Lottie want Betty to do when Betty tells her the truth about
Stanton?
Come home.
140. When she returns home, Betty learns that _________________ slapped Polly.
A wealthy woman.
152
141. What does Betty learn from a friend about Stanton?
142. Who is the young man with whom Betty is falling in love when she returns
home?
Herman Randolph.
143. How had Betty met the young man in #142 many years ago?
His father leased the mill and farm after Charles died.
He is a farmer.
Navy.
153
148. What does Lottie do when Betty has difficulty writing a letter to Herman?
149. What advice does Lottie give Betty regarding Herman's going to war?
Betty.
Herman's mother.
A quilt.
153. Where do Betty and Herman plan to live when he returns from war?
Lottie's house.
Lottie's house.
154
155. Betty has to remind Lottie that Betty is ___________________________.
156. How does Betty feel about the location of the honeymoon?
Disappointed.
Going to war.
Train.
At Lottie's house.
160. Lottie recalls that her reason for getting married was
________________________.
His naivete.
155
162. Where do Betty and Herman go after their honeymoon?
At the hospital.
Polly.
165. Who says that maternity wards are just a way to trick people out of money?
Polly.
Baby shower.
Anxiety.
Death.
156
169. Betty goes into labor two days after which holiday?
Thanksgiving.
Home.
No one.
At Lottie's house.
174. When does Polly think Lottie should be notified that Betty is in labor?
A baby girl.
157
176. What does Betty name her child?
Marjorie Polly.
Six o'clock.
178. How does Lottie feel about the name given to Betty's child?
179. How old is Betty's child when Herman returns from war?
2.
Women talking.
158
Oral Reading Evaluation Sheet
Name: _________________________ Period: _______________________
Audibility - Projecting your voice so your audience can hear and understand you.
5 4 3 2 1
Pronunciation - Ability to recognize words before you say them and pronounce all the
sounds correctly.
5 4 3 2 1
Articulation - Using your tongue, mouth and lips to pronounce all the sounds correctly.
5 4 3 2 1
5 4 3 2 1
5 4 3 2 1
Comments:
159
Reading Assignment Sheet
Name: _________________________ Period: _______________________
160
Writing Evaluation Form
Name: _________________________ Period: _______________________
5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1
5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1
5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1
5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1
Comments:
161
One Week Quiz A
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapters
15 & 16.
162
Short Answer Questions
1. The Wassermann Test is used to diagnose ___________________.
2. Who pays for the funeral of the boy killed at the mill?
3. Who does Sade tell the authorities probably killed her husband?
4. In her teen years, Betty is not as interested in ________________ as other girls are.
5. What do Lottie and Betty do after Charles refuses to take them to town to window
shop?
163
Multiple Choice Questions Key
1. A
2. C
3. D
4. B
5. B
Syphilis.
2. Who pays for the funeral of the boy killed at the mill?
Lottie.
3. Who does Sade tell the authorities probably killed her husband?
A tramp.
Boys.
5. What do Lottie and Betty do after Charles refuses to take them to town to
window shop?
164
Two Week Quiz A
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapters
11 & 12.
3. Why does the person in #55 create a scene at the local store?
(a) They are out of sugar.
(b) She is denied credit.
(c) Her order has been delayed.
(d) A clerk spills molasses on her.
165
Short Answer Questions
1. What are Franklin D. Roosevelt's national recovery programs called?
2. Who does Sade tell the authorities probably killed her husband?
166
Multiple Choice Questions Key
1. B
2. D
3. B
4. D
5. D
2. Who does Sade tell the authorities probably killed her husband?
A tramp.
5.
Happy marriages.
Pregnancy.
167
Four Week Quiz A
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapters 5
& 6.
168
Short Answer Questions
1. According to Lottie, the most happily married couple in the community is
___________________.
169
Multiple Choice Questions Key
1. D
2. B
3. B
4. C
5. D
Catholic.
Bridget.
170
Four Week Quiz B
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapters
17 & 18.
2. Which of the following does Charles NOT do when the neighbor's dogs lunge at
him?
(a) Drive away in his car.
(b) Shoot the dogs.
(c) Run into the house.
(d) Leave the house by the back door.
5. Where do Betty and Herman plan to live when he returns from war?
(a) The Bonbright cottage.
(b) A new house.
(c) An apartment.
(d) Lottie's house.
171
Short Answer Questions
1. What does Trudy tell Betty is the best part of being abandoned by her husband?
3. What does Stanton give to Betty to make her feel less tired?
172
Multiple Choice Questions Key
1. C
2. B
3. D
4. C
5. D
3. What does Stanton give to Betty to make her feel less tired?
Pep pills.
5.
Pregnancy.
173
Eight Week Quiz A
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapters 3
& 4.
5. What is the main activity of the women's group that Lottie forms.
(a) Quilting.
(b) Card playing.
(c) Teaching cooking.
(d) Hospital volunteering.
174
Short Answer Questions
1. Charles attributes Lottie's family's hardships to _____________________.
2. Lottie says that a person can tell how a man feels about his wife by
_____________________.
3. Men who order their wives around by command treat them like _______________.
175
Multiple Choice Questions Key
1. D
2. A
3. A
4. D
5. B
2. Lottie says that a person can tell how a man feels about his wife by
_____________________.
3. Men who order their wives around by command treat them like
_______________.
Dogs.
Charles Davies.
Betty.
176
Eight Week Quiz B
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapters 5
& 6.
2. What is the main activity of the women's group that Lottie forms.
(a) Quilting.
(b) Card playing.
(c) Teaching cooking.
(d) Hospital volunteering.
4. Who does Sade tell the authorities probably killed her husband?
(a) Their son.
(b) A tramp.
(c) His boss.
(d) Joe.
177
Short Answer Questions
1. Men who order their wives around by command treat them like _______________.
178
Multiple Choice Questions Key
1. A
2. B
3. D
4. B
5. C
Dogs.
Lottie.
179
Eight Week Quiz C
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapters 7
& 8.
3. What happens to Roy in the year after his affair with another woman?
(a) He is murdered.
(b) He contracts AIDS.
(c) He leaves his wife.
(d) He moves to New York.
4. Despite her dislike for Trudy, who still finds a way to help the woman care for
her children?
(a) Lottie.
(b) Etta.
(c) Marie.
(d) Sally Jo.
180
Short Answer Questions
1. The women playing cards say nice things to Trudy about
________________________.
3. What is the name of the community where Lottie and Betty live?
181
Multiple Choice Questions Key
1. A
2. A
3. A
4. A
5. B
Trudy Woodlief.
3. What is the name of the community where Lottie and Betty live?
Catholic.
Drink.
182
Eight Week Quiz D
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapters 9
& 10.
3. What is the name of the community where Lottie and Betty live?
(a) Hogpath Road.
(b) Hattiesville.
(c) Crystal Lake.
(d) Milk Farm Road.
4. What is the main activity of the women's group that Lottie forms.
(a) Teaching cooking.
(b) Quilting.
(c) Hospital volunteering.
(d) Card playing.
183
Short Answer Questions
1. What do Lottie and Sade never speak about during their long friendship?
4. According to Lottie, the true indicator of a man who holds his wife in high esteem is
when he addresses her by _______________________.
5. Who pays for the funeral of the boy killed at the mill?
184
Multiple Choice Questions Key
1. B
2. A
3. D
4. D
5. C
Roy's murder.
Infidelity.
Porter's.
4. According to Lottie, the true indicator of a man who holds his wife in high
esteem is when he addresses her by _______________________.
Her name.
5. Who pays for the funeral of the boy killed at the mill?
Lottie.
185
Eight Week Quiz E
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapters
13 & 14.
186
Short Answer Questions
1. What does Trudy tell Betty is the best part of being abandoned by her husband?
3. What does Lottie take with her when she and Betty leave Trudy's house?
187
Multiple Choice Questions Key
1. A
2. B
3. A
4. B
5. C
A baby crib.
3. What does Lottie take with her when she and Betty leave Trudy's house?
1938.
188
Eight Week Quiz F
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapters
15 & 16.
3. Which of the following does Charles NOT do when the neighbor's dogs lunge at
him?
(a) Leave the house by the back door.
(b) Drive away in his car.
(c) Shoot the dogs.
(d) Run into the house.
189
Short Answer Questions
1. What do Lottie and Betty do after Charles refuses to take them to town to window
shop?
3. What is the only food Betty will eat when she is twelve?
190
Multiple Choice Questions Key
1. D
2. C
3. C
4. D
5. C
Porter's.
3. What is the only food Betty will eat when she is twelve?
Cornbread.
Twin boys.
191
Eight Week Quiz G
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 19
and Postscript.
192
Short Answer Questions
1. What does Bridget make some of the local women in Ireland do while she is there?
2. What is the only food Betty will eat when she is twelve?
3. Lottie recalls that her reason for getting married was ________________________.
5. When does Polly think Lottie should be notified that Betty is in labor?
193
Multiple Choice Questions Key
1. C
2. D
3. D
4. D
5. A
Perform a deathwatch.
2. What is the only food Betty will eat when she is twelve?
Cornbread.
Clerk.
5. When does Polly think Lottie should be notified that Betty is in labor?
194
Mid-Book Test - Easy
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.
3. According to Lottie, the true indicator of a man who holds his wife in high
esteem is when he addresses her by _______________________.
(a) Her job.
(b) Her sex.
(c) Her name.
(d) Her nickname.
195
6. In what state does A CURE FOR DREAMS begin?
(a) California.
(b) Maine.
(c) Kentucky.
(d) Indiana.
9. Men who order their wives around by command treat them like
_______________.
(a) Slaves.
(b) Indentured servants.
(c) Dogs.
(d) School girls.
196
13. Trudy's children are known to be _________________.
(a) Good musicians.
(b) Very shy.
(c) Good students.
(d) Thieves.
15. What happens to Roy in the year after his affair with another woman?
(a) He contracts AIDS.
(b) He leaves his wife.
(c) He is murdered.
(d) He moves to New York.
197
Short Answer Questions
1. What is the only food Betty will eat when she is twelve?
2. Who pays for the funeral of the boy killed at the mill?
4. Why does the person in #55 create a scene at the local store?
198
Multiple Choice Answer Key
1. A 11. B
2. A 12. A
3. C 13. D
4. D 14. B
5. D 15. C
6. C
7. A
8. A
9. C
10. C
Cornbread.
2. Who pays for the funeral of the boy killed at the mill?
Lottie.
15.
4. Why does the person in #55 create a scene at the local store?
199
5. What is the cause of Charles' death?
Suicide.
200
Final Test - Easy
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.
3. What does Trudy do with the dresser that Lottie gives her?
(a) Stores out of season clothes in it.
(b) Uses it for a TV stand.
(c) Makes beds for the twins in the drawers.
(d) Puts canned goods in the drawers.
201
6. Betty's baby is born at nearly _________________ in the evening.
(a) Ten o'clock.
(b) Six o'clock.
(c) Eleven o'clock.
(d) Eight o'clock.
10. How does Lottie feel about the name given to Betty's child?
(a) She despises it.
(b) She loves it.
(c) She does not like it.
(d) She has no feelings about it.
202
13. Who hosts a wedding shower for Betty?
(a) Ava.
(b) Lottie.
(c) Trudy.
(d) Herman's mother.
203
Short Answer Questions
1. Why does Lottie send Betty to Trudy's house with a hammer and nails?
5. Who is the young man with whom Betty is falling in love when she returns home?
204
Multiple Choice Answer Key
1. C 11. C
2. D 12. D
3. C 13. D
4. D 14. D
5. A 15. B
6. B
7. D
8. C
9. A
10. C
Train.
No one.
205
5. Who is the young man with whom Betty is falling in love when she returns
home?
Herman Randolph.
206
Mid-Book Test - Medium
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short
essay questions.
3. What is notable about the friendship between Betty and the person in #55?
(a) They look like they could be twins.
(b) They are both redheads.
(c) They both have green eyes.
(d) Betty is much younger.
4. What does Lottie do with her dinner that makes Charles angry?
(a) She gives it to the neighbor's dogs.
(b) She puts in on the garden.
(c) She flushes it down the commode.
(d) She throws it on the floor.
5. Why does the person in #55 create a scene at the local store?
(a) Her order has been delayed.
(b) A clerk spills molasses on her.
(c) They are out of sugar.
(d) She is denied credit.
207
Short Answer Questions
1. What does Charles complain about much of the time?
2. Where do Lottie and her husband move when they leave Kentucky?
208
Short Essay Questions
1. Why does Lottie take back the meal she had brought for Trudy and her children?
3. What does Lottie do when Charles does nothing when a boy is killed at the mill?
4. According to Lottie, why is a man's name for his wife an indicator of her value to him?
5. How does Lottie anonymously make sure that Trudy gets credit in Porter's store?
7. Who is Trudy Woodlief and why does she create such a stir when she arrives in
town?
209
8. Describe how Charles and Lottie are so different from each other.
9. What special talent does Lottie have and why does she take so much pride in it?
210
Multiple Choice Answer Key
1. B
2. D
3. D
4. A
5. D
2. Where do Lottie and her husband move when they leave Kentucky?
North Carolina.
Irrational.
211
Short Essay Answer Key
1. Why does Lottie take back the meal she had brought for Trudy and her
children?
After learning that Trudy has come to North Carolina from Louisiana, Lottie asks
questions about Louisiana. Lottie is shocked that Trudy answers only a few questions
and then asks her and Betty to leave. As Lottie and Betty leave, they see Trudy's
children in the kitchen making faces at the meal she has brought. Trudy explains that
the family hates ham. Lottie, thoroughly offended, takes back all the food.
When questioned by John Carroll, Sade says that perhaps a tramp committed the
murder because Roy had recently been rude to one. No one mounts a serious search
for the tramp because most believe that Roy deserved to die regardless of who
committed the murder. Sade begins to recover over time, and eventually she is far
happier than she had been in all the years she was married to Roy. Her children even
start visiting again.
3. What does Lottie do when Charles does nothing when a boy is killed at the
mill?
When a boy is killed at the mill, Charles refuses to halt production. Everyone, including
Lottie and Betty, see this as a callous act. When a sister of the victim comes to the
house and expresses outrage, Lottie gives the woman money for the funeral.
4. According to Lottie, why is a man's name for his wife an indicator of her value
to him?
Lottie says that one can tell how a man feels about his wife by the way that he
addresses her in public. Some men do not use names or addresses at all. They simply
voice commands. Some men have pet names, and these are better than no name at all,
but according to Lottie the true indicator of a man who holds his wife in high esteem is
when he addresses her simply by her name.
212
5. How does Lottie anonymously make sure that Trudy gets credit in Porter's
store?
One day Trudy arrives in Porter's store and again asks for credit. When she is denied,
she turns loose her children who begin stealing. Lottie and the other women playing
cards take the opportunity to say nice things to Trudy about the fact that she is
expecting twins. When Trudy leaves, the women take up a collection and give it to
Porter. They tell him they will do so periodically and he is to tell Trudy she has credit in
whatever amount the women are able to collect.
Despite Lottie's dislike for Trudy, Betty is drawn to the newcomer. Trudy's children are
notorious thieves and so is her husband Tommy. First he steals dogs and then he
begins stealing copper. Tommy sells the copper and then abandons the family.
7. Who is Trudy Woodlief and why does she create such a stir when she arrives in
town?
Betty has no close friends until 1937 when she becomes friends with Trudy Woodlief
despite the age difference. Trudy arrives at Milk Farm Road and immediately demands
credit at Porter's store. When refused, she flies into a public rage.
8. Describe how Charles and Lottie are so different from each other.
Lottie and Charles seem to illustrate opposite personality types. Charles is single-
mindedly focused on work, and Lottie is full of life and more of a social extrovert. They
marry at a young age, an age before they could make accurate character assessments.
Lottie displays both a strong will and a creative nature in finding ways to pursue her
interests rather than submit to the will of her husband.
9. What special talent does Lottie have and why does she take so much pride in
it?
Lottie has beautiful handwriting, but it is so ornate that she is the only person who can
read it easily. She often assists neighbors who cannot read with composing letters or
filling out paperwork. Lottie is especially fond of her literacy since she had to leave
213
school at the age of fifteen.
Charles's business at the mill slows, and he is home much more often than usual. This
creates friction between him and Lottie. Despite his constant claims of being financially
destitute, Lottie knows exactly how much they have in assets and she knows that they
are far better off than many other families. Lottie and Betty hear Charles complain of
being ruined and broke so often that they no longer notice.
214
Final Test - Medium
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short
essay questions.
3. What does Trudy tell Betty is the best part of being abandoned by her
husband?
(a) She doesn't have to listen to him snore.
(b) She can save money on food.
(c) She can spend money any way she wants.
(d) She doesn't have to worry about getting pregnant.
215
Short Answer Questions
1. Betty mentions the _____________________ who are the first known quintuplets to
survive infancy.
2. What does Lottie want Betty to do when Betty tells her the truth about Stanton?
216
Short Essay Questions
1. What lessons does Trudy teach Betty regarding parenting?
2. Describe the flurry of pre-wedding activities and plan for Betty and Herman.
5. Describe the frantic day when Betty gives birth to her daughter.
217
8. Describe Betty's life after she moves to Richmond.
9. What are the two major revelations for Betty when she visits Stanton in the hospital?
10. What does Betty learn about Stanton's condition after she returns to Milk Farm
Road?
218
Multiple Choice Answer Key
1. D
2. B
3. D
4. D
5. C
Dionne quints.
2. What does Lottie want Betty to do when Betty tells her the truth about Stanton?
Come home.
A baby crib.
His naivete.
Candy factory.
219
Short Essay Answer Key
1. What lessons does Trudy teach Betty regarding parenting?
Despite Trudy's unhealthy nutritional practices, Betty learns a great deal about child
care from Trudy, and the experience provides her with an opportunity to see first-hand
the demands on a parent in caring for children.
2. Describe the flurry of pre-wedding activities and plan for Betty and Herman.
Betty works quickly to make a wedding dress. Herman's mother hosts a wedding
shower and all of the women bring gifts. A quilt from Sade and gifts from Trudy's
children bring Betty to tears. Betty and Herman's plan calls for him to live in Lottie's
house after returning from the military and adding to the house after a baby is born.
The "Dionne quints" that Betty mentions refers to the Dionne quintuplets born in Canada
in 1934. They were the first known quintuplets to survive infancy, and they quickly
become a media sensation and tourist attraction.
The W.P.A that Betty mentions is the Works Projects Administration. The W.P.A. is the
largest of the New Deal programs, and it employs millions during the Great Depression.
Many of the structures built during the programs, such as bridges, roads, and buildings
still stand today.
5. Describe the frantic day when Betty gives birth to her daughter.
Two days after Thanksgiving Betty goes into labor. She is home alone and she cannot
reach anyone on the telephone. Betty is well into labor when Polly arrives. Polly
immediately takes charge. She says Betty should have been making preparations in
case she had to give birth alone instead of waiting by the telephone and crying. Betty
says that someone should get Lottie, but Polly advises that it will be better to wait until
after the delivery to inform Lottie. Betty agrees.
220
6. What did the "Gregg course" teach?
The "Gregg course" that Betty mentions refers to a course in Gregg shorthand.
Shorthand was a method of writing that used far fewer characters than regular
handwritten text. It was an important part of business and legal proceedings before the
advent of recording devices and word processing programs on computers.
Betty meets a frequent customer named Stanton. Soon Stanton becomes interested in
Betty and the two begin to date. Stanton is fond of the social scene and Betty
accompanies him to parties. Unlike almost everyone else at the parties, Betty does not
drink, but the late hours cause her to feel tired at work and school, so Stanton gives her
pep pills.
In Richmond, Betty moves into a rooming house with other young women and takes
classes. Betty's first job is as a clerk at a candy manufacturer but she does not like the
job. In time, she meets another young woman who helps her get a job at a department
store called Kresge's. While there she often buys gifts for Lottie, Polly and others.
Rather than spend time with young women her age, Betty spends time with the older
women who work at the department store.
9. What are the two major revelations for Betty when she visits Stanton in the
hospital?
With Betty's visit to the hospital comes the abrupt and painful revelation that Stanton is
a drug abuser, but more importantly comes the revelation of the lack of regard that
Stanton has for Betty. For the first time Betty notices that Stanton addresses her as
"girlie" and the lesson her mother tried to teach her years ago about how men address
women begins to make sense.
10. What does Betty learn about Stanton's condition after she returns to Milk
Farm Road?
Soon after arriving home Betty receives a letter from a coworker describing Stanton's
221
poor condition and behavior. Three months later she receives another letter informing
her that Stanton has died from drug abuse. Though Betty is still angry at Stanton, she is
sorry to hear that he has died.
222
Mid-Book Test - Hard
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3)
essay topics.
3. What is the person in #55 doing when Lottie and Betty visit?
223
Short Essay Questions
1. What is the premise of A CURE FOR DREAMS?
2. How does the author show that Charles is losing his rational mind?
4. What illness does Betty contract as a child and what is the cause of it?
5. What are some mentions of popular culture that Betty notes in her story?
6. What is the nature of the club that Lottie organizes and why does Charles object to it?
7. What is the connection that Betty draws between the Depression and infidelity and
which of Lottie's friends is directly affected?
224
8. What is the probable reason for Charles' suicide?
9. What special talent does Lottie have and why does she take so much pride in it?
10. Who does Lottie determine has killed Roy and why does she choose to keep quiet
about it?
225
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
The author uses several instances of foreshadowing in the story. Explain what
foreshadowing is and cite at least two examples making sure to explain what makes
each an instance of foreshadowing.
Essay Topic 2
Project into the future ten years after the end of the novel and write a brief synopsis for
Marjorie's life. Will the memories of her mother and grandmother still be such a powerful
presence in her life? What is the nature of her relationships based on what she learned
from her mother and grandmother?
Essay Topic 3
The author uses more than one instance of irony in the book. Cite at least two other
examples you can identify in the book and note why they are examples of irony.
226
Short Answer Key
1. What happens to Sade after her husband's murder?
Charles Davies.
3. What is the person in #55 doing when Lottie and Betty visit?
Herbert Hoover.
A CURE FOR DREAMS presents the story of four generations of women as told by a
mother to a daughter. The story begins in Bell County, Kentucky, in the early twentieth
century.
227
2. How does the author show that Charles is losing his rational mind?
Charles grows more and more irrational. When Lottie takes up fishing, Charles denies
her the ability to buy fishhooks. Once when Lottie wants to go into town to window shop,
Charles refuses to take her and says some hateful things to Betty. Partly out of anger,
Betty responds by buying expensive dresses. Lottie does the same and Charles is
furious. Lottie says that the spending spree is his fault. He does not respond but instead
walks out of the house.
Despite Lottie's dislike for Trudy, Betty is drawn to the newcomer. Trudy's children are
notorious thieves and so is her husband Tommy. First he steals dogs and then he
begins stealing copper. Tommy sells the copper and then abandons the family.
4. What illness does Betty contract as a child and what is the cause of it?
At the age of twelve Betty develops a finicky appetite and will eat only cornbread.
Betty's picky appetite leads her to develop pellagra, an illness common to people who
have only corn to eat. This is a source of embarrassment for Lottie, who prides herself
on being both a good mother and a knowledgeable person.
5. What are some mentions of popular culture that Betty notes in her story?
Betty's narrative also gives some flavor of the times. The Lum and Abner she mentions
refers to a popular radio comedy of the time and the Bing she swoons over is Bing
Crosby, the most popular singer of the time.
6. What is the nature of the club that Lottie organizes and why does Charles
object to it?
Lottie organizes a woman's social club that meets in the back of a local store. At the first
meeting there is too much talk of politics and Lottie knows that they must find another
focus if the club is to remain together. Lottie decides that the club should be a forum for
card playing and she even promotes the idea of gambling in meager amounts. Betty
becomes an excellent player. Charles hates gambling and Lottie alternates between
saying she goes only to watch and promising to stop going at all.
228
7. What is the connection that Betty draws between the Depression and infidelity
and which of Lottie's friends is directly affected?
Betty's mention of Charles losing reason finds fulfillment, first in Charles's irrational
exertion of control over Lottie and Betty and then in his suicide. Charles demonstrates
that all he ever cares about is business. When it begins to fail, he has nothing for which
he enjoys living.
9. What special talent does Lottie have and why does she take so much pride in
it?
Lottie has beautiful handwriting, but it is so ornate that she is the only person who can
read it easily. She often assists neighbors who cannot read with composing letters or
filling out paperwork. Lottie is especially fond of her literacy since she had to leave
school at the age of fifteen.
10. Who does Lottie determine has killed Roy and why does she choose to keep
quiet about it?
In addition to being a good friend, Lottie is also an astute analyst of clues. Based on
what she sees at Sade's home, she knows that Sade has committed the murder, and
Lottie's idea of justice does not include the punishment of her friend. In fact, according
to Lottie, justice has already been served with the shooting of Roy. Lottie does not
hesitate to tamper with evidence at the crime scene.
229
Final Test - Hard
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3)
essay topics.
2. When does Polly think Lottie should be notified that Betty is in labor?
3. What name does Stanton call Betty as she leaves the hospital?
5. What does Lottie notice about Stanton when she meets him?
230
Short Essay Questions
1. Who is Herman Randolph and what is his relationship to Betty?
2. How does Lottie know that Betty is in danger with her relationship with Stanton?
3. What piece of furniture does Lottie give to Trudy and for what does Trudy use it?
5. What does Betty learn about Stanton's condition after she returns to Milk Farm Road?
7. What are Betty's plans for delivering her baby and what objection does she
encounter?
231
8. Why does Lottie take a trip back to Ireland with her mother, Bridget?
9. According to Trudy, what is the best part of being abandoned by her husband?
10. Describe the trip to Ireland for Lottie and why does she bring Bridget back to
Kentucky?
232
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
What is the overall setting setting for the novel? Be sure to include geography, time
period and any pertinent popular culture events. Why did Gibbons choose to use these
places in the novel?
Essay Topic 2
Project into the future ten years after the end of the novel and write a brief synopsis for
Marjorie's life. Will the memories of her mother and grandmother still be such a powerful
presence in her life? What is the nature of her relationships based on what she learned
from her mother and grandmother?
Essay Topic 3
Create a character study of Betty. What are her physical characteristics? What are her
motivations? What are her fears? What are her dreams? What else can you say about
Betty?
233
Short Answer Key
1. How does Betty feel about the location of the honeymoon?
Disappointed.
2. When does Polly think Lottie should be notified that Betty is in labor?
3. What name does Stanton call Betty as she leaves the hospital?
Girlie.
A baby crib.
5. What does Lottie notice about Stanton when she meets him?
The person to whom Lottie refers is Herman Randolph, the son of the man who leased
the mill and farm after Charles died. One day Betty is working with her mother and
Herman arrives. Betty finds him attractive and the two take a walk. They agree to see a
movie together and soon begin dating. When Lottie and Polly see how much time Betty
and Herman spend together they caution her about getting pregnant.
234
2. How does Lottie know that Betty is in danger with her relationship with
Stanton?
Betty's naivete puts her in a dangerous situation. She knows nothing about the dangers
of using drugs in a recreational manner, nor does she know how to recognize the
symptoms of one who has abused them to the point of suffering ill effects. Lottie,
however, notices immediately upon meeting Stanton. It is unclear how Lottie knows.
Likely she has never been around those who abuse pharmaceutical medication.
Perhaps Lottie recognizes Stanton's ill health because of her family history of
alcoholism, or perhaps this incident is simply another example of Lottie's acute powers
of observation.
3. What piece of furniture does Lottie give to Trudy and for what does Trudy use
it?
Lottie begins being kinder to Trudy's children despite her dislike for Trudy's lack of
manners. Despite her closeness to Trudy, Betty cannot remember the names of all
seven of Trudy's children. In an effort to help the family, Lottie tells Betty she should
help Trudy with laundry. Lottie also decides to give Trudy a nice chest of drawers that
she and Charles brought from Kentucky. Trudy does not use the drawers to store
clothes because she lacks a baby bed, and she uses the drawers to fashion beds for
the twins.
Lottie's comment that, "Anytime somebody's not looking after themselves it becomes
your business," explains much about Lottie's views on community. Lottie truly cares for
the people around her.
5. What does Betty learn about Stanton's condition after she returns to Milk Farm
Road?
Soon after arriving home Betty receives a letter from a coworker describing Stanton's
poor condition and behavior. Three months later she receives another letter informing
her that Stanton has died from drug abuse. Though Betty is still angry at Stanton, she is
sorry to hear that he has died.
235
6. What is "Twilight Sleep" and for what is it used?
The "Twilight Sleep" that Betty mentions is a method of relieving pain during medical
procedures. It entails morphine and other drugs. In addition to blocking the perception of
pain, the drugs produce a state of temporary amnesia and other complications.
7. What are Betty's plans for delivering her baby and what objection does she
encounter?
When Betty becomes pregnant she decides to have the baby at the hospital. This
offends Polly Deal. Polly says that maternity wards are just a way to trick people out of
money.
8. Why does Lottie take a trip back to Ireland with her mother, Bridget?
News arrives from Lottie's family in Kentucky that Lottie's mother, Bridget, believes she
will die soon and she wants to do so back in Ireland. Lottie's sisters decide that Lottie
should be the person to accompany Bridget back to Galway and they make the
arrangements without asking Lottie. Betty and Lottie travel back to Kentucky. Betty will
stay with the relatives in Kentucky while Lottie takes Bridget to Ireland.
9. According to Trudy, what is the best part of being abandoned by her husband?
During one of Betty and Trudy's conversations, Betty asks Trudy if she thinks she will
have more children. Trudy says that will not happen since she does not have a
husband. Trudy then tells Betty that that is the best part of being abandoned and left
alone; without a husband, she does not have to worry about getting pregnant.
10. Describe the trip to Ireland for Lottie and why does she bring Bridget back to
Kentucky?
During the trip to Ireland, Bridget is a constant embarrassment to Lottie, and Bridget's
behavior becomes even worse at the family's house in Galway. She makes all sorts of
unreasonable demands, including having the women perform a death watch. Unable to
endure her mother's awful behavior, Lottie takes a room at a nearby inn. Lottie and
Bridget return to the United States, and Bridget outlives almost everyone she has ever
known.
236