Getting a boyfriend, becoming the next Emeril, and staging a perfect family party might be vastly different goals, but the thing that unites all the young characters of One Whole and Perfect Day is their idealism. Lily, Lonnie, Clara, and Jessaline all desire to change their lives for the better by doing things and being with the people they love.
It isn't just about the young folks, though—May, Marigold, and Rose have hopes and plans for their families and children, dreaming that they'll set aside the conflicts that keep them from moving forward. They all have to make concessions and take risks to get what they want, but these characters ultimately learn that the happiness of others, as well as themselves, is totally worth doing so for.
Questions About Dreams, Hopes, and Plans
- How do the hopes and dreams of the book's younger characters compare to their parents' hopes for their lives? Is anyone in sync? Who? And how do you know?
- Does Lily think having a perfect day will be a permanent solution to her family's problems? Or does she just want the experience of feeling normal, even if it can't last?
- What does each character want? How do their desires change as the story unfolds?
- What's the deal with Lucy? Why is this character even in the book? What do you think her relationship with the Samsons means for her future?
Chew on This
The adult characters' objections to their children's goals come from their own lost opportunities and regrets.
Without meeting Clara, Lonnie probably wouldn't have gotten himself together.