You can't choose your family members, but you do have to live with them—unless, like Deborah in I Never Promised You A Rose Garden, you get a three-year break from them to hang out a mental hospital and figure out what part they played in sending you there.
Hey, for better or for worse (and in this case, it's kind of for worse), family relationships, especially between parents and their children, shape who we are.
Questions About Family
- How does Deborah's relationship with her father contribute to her mental illness? What about with her relationship with her mother?
- How does Suzy suffer from Deborah's problems?
- Do you blame Esther and Jacob for their lack of communication with their daughter? What factors play into their inability to talk freely with her?
- Why is denial an attractive way to deal with problems? How do the Blaus show signs of denial?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Parents often place the weight of their own dreams on their children's shoulders.
Children internalize their parents' guilt and fears.