Question

discussion questions
directions: brainstorm your answers to the following questions in the space provided. be prepared to share your original ideas in a class discussion.

1. many stories share the theme of coming of age and the loss of innocence. what does it mean to \come of age\ or \lose your childhood innocence\? is this realization a necessary step to become an adult?

1. at the end of the story, lizabeth said miss lottie never planted more marigolds. why do you think that was? why do you think this detail stood out in lizabeth’s mind after so much time had passed?

1. have you ever made a mistake that you felt was difficult to make amends for? did you try to make amends? if so, how?

1. have you acted impulsively or irrationally out of anger? why do you think people do this? what are the consequences of acting out of anger?

Explanation:

These are discussion questions related to literary analysis and personal reflection, likely for a literature or English class. Since no specific question is selected for answering, here's a general approach for such questions:

For question 1 (theme of coming of age):

"Coming of age" often means gaining maturity, understanding life's complexities, and taking on adult responsibilities. Losing childhood innocence can involve realizing harsh realities. Whether it's necessary to become an adult is subjective—some see it as inevitable, others think one can retain innocence while maturing.

Miss Lottie not planting marigolds again might symbolize losing hope or beauty after Lizabeth's destruction. The detail stood out as it marked a loss of innocence for Lizabeth and a change in Miss Lottie's life, representing the story's theme of growing up.

(Example) Once I broke a friend's prized possession. It was hard to amend as I felt guilty. I apologized, bought a replacement, and spent time making it up, showing remorse and effort to repair the relationship.

Answer:

"Coming of age" involves maturity and responsibility; losing innocence (realizing harsh truths) may be part of it, but whether necessary for adulthood is debatable.

For question 2 (Miss Lottie's marigolds):