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Three Weeks With My Brother
- The authorship of Three Weeks with my Brother, at least as far as the
cover is concerned, is split equally between Nicholas and Micah. Yet, the
book, for the most part, is written in first-person by Nicholas. Why? Would
it have been better to have split the authorial voice, and if so, why?
Which sections seem most likely to have come from Nicholas’s memories?
Which from Micah’s? Why?
- Jill, their mother, is largely canonized in the novel, and both brothers
claim a profound love and respect for her, and further describe her
as an ideal mother. Did she strike the reader as ideal? In what way?
Has the memory of Jill been romanticized over the years by both Micah
and Nicholas? At the same time, however, Jill seems to be almost neglectful
as a parent, allowing the boys too much freedom at too young of an age
and forcing a maturity upon them that is far beyond their years. Is
this inconsistency adequately explained? Would you allow this as a parent?
In what ways did this freedom to roam as children -- complete with injuries,
brushes with the law, and wrong choices -- seem to affect Micah now?
How does it seem to affect Nicholas now?
- Mike, their father, is perhaps the least understood by both Micah
and Nicholas of all the family members. Why? As a father, what were
Mike’s strongest attributes in your opinion? His weakest? As Micah
and Nicholas grew older, their thoughts about their mother remained
largely unchanged, while their view of their father changed over time,
from one of simple awe to one of sympathy and worry. Was this because
their mother died first, when the boys were still relatively young,
before Micah and Nicholas faced the realities of adulthood? Or was it
a reaction to the struggles that Mike faced in the aftermath of Jill’s
death? Is Micah still angry with Mike? Is Nicholas?
- Dana, like Jill, is described almost reverently by both Micah and
Nicholas. Is this view realistic? Describe the ways in which Dana seems
similar to Micah. Describe the ways in which she seems similar to Nicholas.
How is she different? Dana, both brothers profess, was treated differently
than her brothers. Was she? Does this explain the apparent differences?
(Bonus question: Nicholas claims that in the novel, A Walk to Remember,
Jamie was inspired by his sister. How is Jamie similar to Dana? How
is she different? Did the characters strike you as similar?)
- The book was structured around a trip around the world the brothers
took in 2003. Was this necessary? Did the travel add anything to the
book? Or could the book have been written without it? Why did the authors
choose to do it this way? Should there have been more description of
the ancient sites or less?
- A memoir is always based on memories and perception. At the same time,
it attempts to describe events as they truly happened. Is it possible
to do both, or are they contradictory? How does the extended family
feel about the story?
- Nicholas’s writing career is discussed in much abbreviated form,
only a few sentences here and there. There is little description of
any struggles or how the success has affected him. Why was this area
of his life largely omitted? Should it have been? Would the book have
had more or less impact had he included this information?
- Memoirs provide glimpses into character, but only those glimpses which
the author’s are willing to reveal. It’s as if a window
is opened, but only so far. After finishing the novel, do you feel as
if you know Micah? Do you feel as if you know Nicholas?
- The structure of the novel is circular, in that it largely ends
in the same place where it begins: with the brochure arriving in
the mail. Did you realize this? Can you think of another book that
has been written in this way? What is the symbolism of a circle?
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