The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer - Discussion Questions

The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer was published in April 2013Publisher: Riverhead468 pages may seem like a simple story of how friendships formed as teenagers during summer camp evolve over the years with the characters. In fact, the novel has many threads that book clubs might choose to discuss -- dreams expectations, secrets, relationships and marriage are just a few. If your group is in New York City, there is also a lot about life there over the decades. These questions are designed to spark conversation and help your group go deeper into Wolitzers novel. Spoiler Warning: These questions reveal details of the story. Finish the book before reading on. There are several secrets in the novel. The next few questions will explore some of these, but feel free to bring up others and to discuss the overall role of secrets in the novel with your book club. The Interestings is divided into three parts: Part I - Moments of Strangeness, Part II - Figland, and Part III - The Drama of the Gifted Child. Do you think these titles or divisions are particularly meaningful to the story?Jules is one of the main characters in the novel, and one of her biggest struggles is contentment and envy. Early in the novel, Wolitzer writes of Jules, What if shed said no? she liked to wonder afterward in a kind of strangely pleasurable, baroque horror. What if shed turned down the lightly flung invitation and went about her life, thudding obliviously along like a drunk person, a blind person, a moron, someone who thinks that the small packet of happiness she carries is enough (3).Then later, when Jules is reading Ethan and Ashs Christmas letter, she says, Their lives were much too different now for Jules to have kept up a sustained level of envy. Mostly, she had given up her envy, had let it recede or dissipate so that she wasnt chronically plagued by it (48 ).Do you think Jules ever conquers her envy? Do you think her experiences at Spirit in the Woods and friendships with the Interestings actually made her happier? Why or why not?What did you think of Dennis and of his relationship with Jules? Was it good? Did you sympathize more with him or with her?Did you sympathize with the ways the characters had to adjust their expectations about life, love, and greatness?What did you think of Ethans giving financial help to Jules and Dennis? Was that an appropriate expression of friendship? How can friends navigate very different financial realities?Did you have any camp or teenage experiences that were as forming as Spirit in the Woods?The biggest secret in The Interestings is that Goodman is still alive and in contact with his family. Why do you think Ash never told Ethan? Do you think he would have reacted differently to finding out if Ash had been honest with him?Do you think Goodman raped Cathy? Why or why not?Jonah also holds on to a secr et from his childhood for most of his life -- that he was drugged and his music stolen. Why dont you think Jonah ever told anyone? How did this secret change the course of his life?Ethan secretly loves Jules his whole life. Do you think he also truly loves Ash? What do you think about his other secrets -- contacting Cathy, doubting his love for his son? Are they as big as the secret Ash keeps from him? Why or why not?Were you satisfied with the end of the novel?Rate The Interestings on a scale of 1 to 5.

Opioids For Managing Chronic Pain - 1186 Words

Until October 2014, it was illegal to dispose of opioids except to flush them down the toilet or transport them to a law enforcement agency. The DEA now allows disposal of unused or expired controlled substances at pharmacies and hospitals with special containers for safely storing the drugs. You can find these locations at http://www.DisposeMyMeds.org. Also, the DEA sponsors the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative. In 2014, some 780,000 pounds of controlled medications were collected under this program (http://1.usa.gov/1mRQ8Rn). I liked the way opioids made me feel when I was taking for chronic pain, but became addicted. Can I still use them if I don’t overdo it? This is a slippery slope, with a much greater likelihood of falling then staying upright. Slowly, but surely, you are far more likely to again use more than you had planned, once again finding you can’t control the amount you use. They are now many alternatives to opioids for managing chronic pain. See a pain specialist to review options. Do your best not to restart narcotics. My doctor told me I needed to stop smoking cigarettes. Why is that if cigarettes are legal? Cigarette smoking is an enormous health problem. Nicotine is highly psychologically addictive. For recovery from opioid addiction, it is important to be free from all addictive substances, whether they are legal or illegal. And yes, I include marijuana and nicotine. I emphasize this concept in treatment, and many healthcare providers shareShow MoreRelatedThe Opioid Crisis1148 Words   |  5 Pagesbeen caught up in the opioid epidemic. About 60 percent of those returning from deployments in the Middle East, and 50 percent of older veterans suffer from chronic pain, according to Veterans Affairs officials. That’s compared to about 30 percent of Americans nationwide. Veterans face a double-edged threat: Untreated chronic pain can increase the risk of suicide, but poorly managed opioid regimens can also be fatal. Veterans are twice as likely to die from accidental opioid overdoses than non-veteransRead MoreOpioids : A Wicked Addiction1102 Words   |  5 PagesAddiction Opioids, otherwise known as prescription pain medication, are used to treat acute and chronic pain. They are the most powerful pain relievers known. When taken as directed they can be safe and effective at managing pain, however, opioids can be highly addictive. Ease of access helps people get pain medications through their physician or by having friends and family get the medication for them. 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One patient missed the follow-up, 9 blocks were reported to be ineffective (3 patients in this group were labelled opioid seekers), and 6 patients reported ongoing improvement. The procedure improved pain in 79.5% of the performed blocks. At presentation, 17 patients reported some gastrointestinal symptoms in addition to the chronic abdominal pain, whileRead MoreThe Ethical Issues Of The Undiagnosed Pain Scenario1727 Words   |  7 PagesPain is an immanent aspect of life; it is protective, provoking innate survival mechanisms in response to a perceived threat. As such, it is often associated with extremes of emotion, designed to protect the individual during times of bodily stress (Savage, 2008). However, the underlying cause of such pain is not always readily elucidated. Devoid of objective measures or obvious underlying pathology, the physician is reliant on the patient’s perception of their pain to govern treatment. When suchRead MoreNursing Management Of A Patient Who I Have Looked After During My Placement1407 Words   |  6 Pagesmanagement in patient’s outcome has been highlighted. The main problems have been identified and their links have been associated with the overall nursing management. Her main issues were identified as management of type 2 diabetes, wound care and pain management and they have been discussed at greater extent. The nursing contribution in interdisciplinary care of the patient has also been discussed briefly. Assessment is the first step of patient management in nursing. Assessment and managementRead MoreOpioid Abuse Essay1809 Words   |  8 PagesOpioid Abuse In the current health trends, complimentary alternative medicine has been used to control musculoskeletal pain such as back and neck pain, joint pain and arthritis. The Department of Veteran Affairs has been exploring different alternatives for the veterans with controlling noncancerous chronic pain versus the frequent use of opioids drugs. Complimentary alternative medicine practices have become more apparent and useful within the healthcare system. First, this paper will discuss theRead MorePrescription Pain Medications Are Supposed To Improve The1225 Words   |  5 PagesPrescription pain medications are supposed to improve the health and well-being of an individual. Oxycontin, an opioid drug, is meant to help people manage their pain symptoms; however, many people are unaware that there is a danger of abuse of receiving drugs prescribed by their physicians. The essays â€Å"How to Create an Addiction† and â€Å"Erin Daly: OxyWatchdog† by Cynthia Andrzejczyk explore the problem of prescription drugs in the United States. Since 1999, prescription drug epidemic in the UnitedRead MoreSubstance Abuse Therapy : Ambulatory Care Settings1181 Words   |  5 Pagesshould be utilized in discerning safe detoxification on an outpatient basis. Medications are used to manage different areas of the substance abuse detoxification process. Commonly abused substances include alcohol, tobacco, stimulant, cannabis and opioids. There are different pharmacotherapies for various types of abused substances. Multiple substance abuses require therapy for each of the drug that is being exploited. For tobacco addiction, over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapies in theRead MoreConcept Analysis4225 Words   |  17 PagesManagement Focusing on Acute Pain: A Multidisciplinary Concept Analysis The concept of managing acute pain is extremely significant to nursing as pain is one of the most common problems for which patients seek out health care resources. Pain is a complex and abstract concept that encompasses sensory, emotional, psychological, social, and spiritual perceptions of pain that may occur in combination with physical pain. Pain is difficult to describe and often hard to measure; although, most healthcare

Marriage And Aging Essay Example For Students

Marriage And Aging Essay Reaction Paper: Marriage and AgingA big aspect in keeping a marriage successful is how much communication occurs between the two people involved. For a healthy relationship there is a need for quite a bit of communication. Communication, as stated in class, is one of the key elements to a successful marriage. There has to be some open discussions and trust in the relationship to make it anywhere. If you can not talk to your partner you will not be able to solve problems in a healthy manner. You have to be able to tell your partner things to help you learn and mature with them. You have to learn how to compromise and help each other out. Communication has to be part of your relationship in some way. You cannot go through your life not talking to your partner about important issues that you should be able to talk to them about. Another important issue discussed in class was homosexuals and marriage. Homosexual marriage is an important issue because it deals with a relatively large minority of the United States. This issue is important today with respect to many different ideas. There are so many ideas of morals, family values, and those of equality, constitutionality, and right to privacy. The aspect with the most relevance is constantly left up to debate. Homosexuals are gay due to a combination of factors. These factors are environment and society-the outside influences- and genetics. Hence, homosexuals do not decide their own sexuality, nor do heterosexuals. Therefore, homosexuals should have the same rights as heterosexuals, one of these rights being marriage. This is why it is of great importance to public policy whether or not homosexuality is predetermined. I am not homosexual and I am not writing this to defend homosexuals. I just believe that the whole issue is unfair towards homosexuals. Marriage goes beyond the benefits, however. The institution of marriage is a very respected one, and holds much sentimental value for many people. In America, all men are to be created equally. Does this exclude homosexuals? Many think so simply because they believe that marriage is not a right, but a privilege. This argument means that because gays are not going to bring a child into the world naturally, they do not deserve the privilege of marriage. That doesnt seem fair. Different age groups hold their own opinions with marriage issues. Some young people, ages 18-25 are used to gays because gays have emerged in this generation. Middle aged people may feel fine with the issue or ticked off. People with families could feel that homosexual marriages around their community are different and unappealing. Older individuals have gone through the aging process and have not been familiar with gay issues until recently in the past twenty years. Since they are older, they are more old fashioned and are used to thinking the way they thought years and years ago. This is simply that a man and a woman fall in love, get married, have children and grow old together. But a homosexual marriage is an issue that these older citizens need to be faced with. Women make up majority of that older population and have a life expectancy that is longer than mens. As a result of longer lives, women are expected to experience chronic illnesses and disabilities. They are also more likely to live alone, be single and become poor in their old age. Visiting a cemetery, you can notice that the majority of the people deceased were elderly men. This concludes maybe that men were more of the hard workers before, who gave women the opportunity to take better care of themselves and in turn they lived longer lives. The elderly are treated differently all around the world. .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89 , .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89 .postImageUrl , .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89 , .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89:hover , .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89:visited , .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89:active { border:0!important; } .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89:active , .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89 .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua6bd5afa4b5141ea2bfb4ab1b2e4be89:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Computer Crime (3095 words) EssayThe percentage of elderly people in the United States has tripled since 1900, the population of elderly is expected to double between now and the year 2030. Not only is the number greater, but they are also living much longer. Even though there is a large population of elderly people in the United States, we as a society overlook them as if they arent there. I think it is wonderful when I see an older couple that has been married for a long time. This means that they have taken their marriage very seriously and are still committed to each other. Having a successful marriage is more difficult in todays world than fifty or sixty years ago. In the future, I believe there will be more and more single women and men because of all the miscommunications between the two. As stated before, marriage is something to take seriously and work hard at keeping one. By communicating well with one another, a married couple may be happy and grow old together. Social Issues Essays

Strengths and Weakness free essay sample

Answer the following questions with typed responses. Each question below contains multiple subtopics. Each question, including all subtopics, should be answered in 25-50 words. 1. What are the academic goals of each team member? What are the career goals of each team member? How do the academic goals of other members relate to their career goals? My (Tina) academic goals are to become an accountant. My goals are to get through school with a degree. Am thinking of trying to work or the government, so can get the schooling paid for.Have good benefits and so on. My current job keeps me very motivated and the money will not be a bad thing. 2. What are the strengths of each member of the team? How have these strengths been demonstrated in the past (at work, at home, or in college)? How have each team members strengths contributed to the overall success of the team in accomplishing team objectives and projects. We will write a custom essay sample on Strengths and Weakness or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page At home, my goals are to get through school and get my degree. So am dedicated to accomplishing this task by going to the University of Phoenix.At work, I demonstrate customer service, by being on the front-line. Friendly, and compassionate and we all work towards customer satisfaction. At college, help to get all the group members together and listen and learn. While they do the same to me. Our goal is to do well, and we all do that through trial and error. We all want to accomplish our projects on time and planned out nicely, and in a timely manner. 3. What are the weaknesses of each member of the team? How have these weaknesses been demonstrated in the past (at work, at home, or in college)?How have the team members worked together to overcome individual members weaknesses to help team members and the team become successful? Believe my weakness is taking charge or being the facilitator. I also, have trouble following some of the concepts of the projects assigned. My group helps me out by giving me stories of examples that relate to the ideas Of the projects. 4. What are the technology skills Of each member of the team regarding operating systems, software, etc? What technology is available to each team member on systems at home or at work)?How will team members address technology needs to meet the objectives for the team successfully? I am not a guru in the computer industry, however, have learned by leaps and bounds just from doing schoolwork. As, with Word, and Power Point and it has been a learning challenge. I learn through trial and error. 5. Identify the teams goals. How do the team goals relate to the individual goals? What quality of academic work are the team members committed to and how will this quality be demonstrated in teamwork when writing papers and preparing for presentations?