"Sweetness" Activities

Pick one of the following writing activities:

• Using a brief section of the story as inspiration, compose a dialogue of at least twenty lines between Sweetness and Lula Ann.
• Rewrite a paragraph from Lula Ann’s perspective.
• Rewrite a paragraph about Sweetness from an omniscient narrator’s perspective.
• Describe the setting (Winston House) from an omniscient narrator’s perspective.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Jigsaw Activity:
  
  
  1. Did Sweetness do “the best for [Lula Ann] under the circumstances” as she suggests?  What specific evidence from the story supports your answer?  Look for direct quotations/lines.
  
  
  2. In the paragraph about Winston House, Sweetness says that she is too young “for pasture.”  Explain what this metaphor means. Look for another example of figurative language in the story and explain its effect.
  
  
  3. How does Sweetness feel about Lula Ann’s refusal to speak to her now?  Is she understanding or resentful?  Find a direct quote that supports your position.
  
  
  4. In the paragraph that begins, “Oh, yeah,” reflect on the significance of the flashback.  
  
  
  5. Is Sweetness correct in saying that “Lula Ann was a burden”?  Explain/justify your answer with evidence from the story.
  
  
  6. How would you describe Sweetness’s tone at the end of the story?  Identify three lines throughout the story that are examples of how her tone shifts throughout the story.
  
  
  7. Find one passage that you feel best exemplifies a theme of the story. Explain in your own words what this theme is and how it is developed in the story.