by Audrey Couloumbis Published 2005

Here are some of the themes you found in reading The Misadventures of Maude March.ÊTalk about how they show up in the story:

Appearances and actions can be deceiving; A crisis can force us to see ourselves and others in new ways; It's important to 1) stand up for yourself, 2) to choose the course of your life, 3) to take responsibility for your choices.ÊShow places in the story where Maude and Sallie do each of these three things, either as a pair or separately.

Maude thinks of herself as the kind of person who tries to do the right thing.ÊIn the story, this idea is challenged many times.ÊName one of these challenges and tell how she reacts to it.

Sallie starts out sure that she is adventurous and ready to meet any challenge. Where does she judge herself lacking, and where is she able to measure up? Where is she bold and where does she wish for her old life back?

By the end of the story, in what way have the girls had to do things they thought were wrong?ÊIn what ways do they seem like the almost right choice?

What things did they do out of kindness or concern, or wanting to do the right thing, or wanting to be safe, and how did those turn out?

Sometimes people learn to appreciate each other's way of looking at things through a shared experience. By the end of the story, in what way has Maude become more like Sallie?ÊIn what way does Sallie become more like Maude?ÊWhy do you think this is true?

Sallie tells us what her goal is, but what do you think is Maude's goal throughout the story?