Simple Recipes

There are seven short stories in this collection. Though each one is different, there are overlapping themes and ideas between all of them. Name three connections you see between the stories and explain why you believe they are connected. Use evidence from the book to support your answers.

Many of the stories are narrated by unnamed characters. Choosing two stories with unnamed characters, contrast and compare them, and explain why you think the author chooses not to name some of her characters. What effect does not naming the characters have on the stories? Are these effects similar or different between stories? Using textual evidence, support your argument.

Which story in the collection made the strongest impact on you regarding home? Explain why the subject of home in that particular story resonated with you. Include information from your own home that created your affinity for this story. As you write, consider the differences between a “home” and a “house,” both in context of the story and as you relate these words to your own living situation.