Ch 4 "Fire" (pages 16-19)
What does Susanna mean by “We might get out sometime, but she [Polly] was locked up forever in that body.” (page 19)? Explain.
Kaysen thought her entrance into McLean Hospital was ________________, although she did so of her own free will.
What is the medication Daisy is obsessed with? She takes large doses of this every day.
Ch 2 "The Taxi" (pages 7-9)
What does the word "triumphant" mean on page 8? Explain. “Forget it," he said… He looked triumphant.
To what extent did you enjoy or not enjoy reading this book?
Ch 9 "My Suicide" (pages 36-38)
“Suicide is a form of murder—premeditated murder.” (page 36) What does Susanna mean by this? Explain. To what extent do you agree?
Ch 1 "Toward a Topography of the Parallel Universe" (pages 5-6)
What does Susanna Kaysen mean by “parallel universe”? Explain.
Ch 5 "Freedom" (pages 20-24)
According to Kaysen, which of the following ideas about freedom does she question?
Ch 14 "Checks" (pages 54-55)
What are "checks?"
Match each person to their description.
Susanna
Lisa
Valerie
Daisy
Georgina
Polly
Borderline Personality Disorder
Sociopath
Died by suicide
Set herself on fire
Did not react when she was burned
Nurse they all trusted
Was Susanna sane or insane? Explain and back up your answer with evidence from the text.
The narrator reveals little about her life before entering McLean Hospital, and the only biographical information we receive appears rather late in the book. Why do you think Kaysen has chosen to do this? Explain.
What does the author accomplish by juxtaposing her actual medical records and case notes with the narrative? How do these documents contribute to your impression of Susanna’s psychic state? How would this book be different without them?
What were some of the differences between the book and the movie? What affect did they have?
How long was Susanna Kaysen at McLean Hospital?
Should Susanna have been institutionalized at McLean Hospital? Why or why not?
Ch 34 "Girl, Interrupted" (pages 165-168)
What is the full title of the Vermeer painting that Kaysen saw at the museum? Girl Interrupted ____________.

What are “checks,” and how often do they occur?
Why do Susanna and Georgina prefer sitting near the nursing station?
Kaysen uses repeated sounds like “click, swish” throughout both passages. What effect does this repetition have on the reader?
Analyze the metaphor:
“It was our metronome, our pulse.”
What does this reveal about life in the hospital?

How does the structure of the “Sharps” section (listing objects, fragmented thoughts) reflect the environment of the hospital?
What is the tone of these passages? Does Kaysen seem critical, detached, humorous, or something else? Explain.
How do both passages show a loss of independence?
Please choose a line from ANYWHERE in the text that stuck out to you the most & explain why.