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The Way to Rainy Mountain

1. In many ways, Momaday is writing a memoir of a people, the Kiowas, not just himself or his grandmother. How does he use events from his own life and his grandmother’s life as a lens through which he can talk about the Kiowas?

2. This memoir is filled with visual imagery. Find five places where Momaday uses detail, to heighten the reader’s experience with the text. Then find one place each in which he uses sound, touch, smell, and taste to describe the world he is remembering.

3. Nature itself is a character in this memoir. Where in this memoir does nature seem to be taking on a living role? In what ways does Momaday use nature to move the story in this memoir forward?

The College Hazing That Changed My Life

1. An effective memoir usually starts fast with a “lead” that draws the reader in and hints at the memoir’s overall meaning or “theme.” Sometimes, as in this case, it takes the reader right into heart of the main action before backing up and providing background. How effectively does this strategy work in this memoir?

2. Rogers sets the scene with rich and vivid details. He moves from various scenes, painting brief but compelling portraits of key people, from family members to his athletic team members. He also fills scenes with sensory details (sight, touch, sound, and smell). Find specific places where this variety and richness in detail make the memoir more powerful.

3. At the heart of any memoir (or story) is a complication that the author grapples with and needs to resolve. In this memoir, what is the conflict that draws readers in and makes this more than just a personal story? How does he resolve that conflict, and how would you describe his new understanding?

4. Memoirs usually conclude with a point or “implied thesis.” How would you describe the author’s new understanding? What general point (or points) does the author make?