This week, you are going to participate in a discussion on a novel or movie.  Please choose one of the stories below and read the novel or watch the movie.  You’ll participate in the discussion thread below related to the story you choose. 

1. Fault in Our Stars novel by Green (2012) or Fault in Our Stars movie (2014)
2. Still Alice novel by Genova (2009) or Still Alice movie (2014)

This family story discussion has two parts:

Part 1:Construct Grid (ALL)

Using the blank construct grid, choose 8 constructs relevant to the family in the novel/movie and complete those rows of the grid.  Share your completed constructs with your discussion group and explain why you chose them. 

Part 2:  Family Story Discussion Fault in Our Stars

The rest of the focus for this week is the Fault in Our Stars book or movie discussion. I am providing the following list of questions to jump start the discussion. You don’t need to answer all of the questions. This is meant to be a free-flowing conversation, and I expect each of you will add your questions throughout the discussion.

Each of you can tell us how you experienced the story, and pick one of the questions below to answer if these help focus your thoughts.

1. John Green uses the voice of a teenage girl to tell this story. Why do you think he choose to do this? Was it effective? How would it have been different if he had told the story from a different voice? How does voice relate to family nursing practice?
2. What does the title, Fault in Our Stars, mean?
3. How would you describe the two main characters, Hazel and Gus?
4. How do Hazel and Gus relate to their cancer?
5. At one point in the book, Hazel states, “Cancer books suck.” What is she really meaning?
6. How do Hazel and Gus change, in spirit, over the course of the novel?
7. Why is “An Imperial Affliction” written by Peter Van Houten Hazel’s favorite book?
8. How many of you looked to see if, “An Imperial Affliction” was an actual book?
9. What do you think about the author Peter Van Houten?
10. Why it was so important for Hazel and Gus to learn what happens after the heroine dies in the An Imperial Affliction?

Part 2:  Family Story Discussion Still Alice

The rest of the focus for this week is the Still Alice book or movie discussion. Below, you’ll find a list of questions to jump start the discussion. You don’t need to answer all of the questions. This is meant to be a free-flowing conversation, and I expect each of you will add your questions throughout the discussion.

Each of you can tell us how you experienced the story, and pick one of the questions below to answer if these help focus your thoughts.

Participate in a book discussion by choosing and answering one of the questions below. 

1. Why do you think the author named the book “Still Alice?”
2. How is Alzheimer’s not only Alice’s diagnosis but also her family’s?
3. How does Alzheimer’s affect roles in a household? 
4. Why do you think the author wrote the book from third person narrative, taking away from the personal connection? 
5. Or, write your own question related to the novel and answer it.