Come together as a class and discuss Clare’s feelings for her grandmother. Instruct students to use evidence from the text as support for their statements during discussion. Conclude the discussion by examining the passage where Ms. Sealand and Clare recite “Desiderata” together. As they finish reciting the poem, how does Ms. Sealand remind Clare of her grandmother? What does this similarity say about Ms. Sealand’s point of view? What does Clare mean when she says, “The universe was not unfolding as it should. The universe was a big freaking mess where good people got killed and where people like me were able to keep on living.”
