Cindy Fisher

Along the lines of the American Children post below, Elaine's relationship with Cindy Fisher seems to mirror the racial tensions present in the adult community. Why is Cindy so central to the story?

Dual Selves

Discuss a few examples where Elaine experiences a "dual self" or what W.E.B. DuBois calls "double consciousness." Analyze these examples in the context of the book and if you would like, respond using personal examples or opinions based on the real world.

American Children

How do the children in Chapter 3 of Paper Daughter act out a microcosm of racism in America? How do you explain this?

Chicken Bones

The memoir begins, "My memory begins with the taste of chicken blood." What does your memory begin with?

Identity?

Consider this diagram that describes different sources of identity. Which one do you see as the biggest influence on identity? Are there any categories you would add? Are any of these categories problematic contributors to the formation of identity? Why?

Do we lie about who we are?

"I got tired of lying about who I am" are the first words of Elaine Mar's memoir, Paper Daughter. What does this line promise us? How do we lie about our own identities?