STUDY QUESTIONS

  1. What illnesses/diseases do you recognize in this book? Are there some that you do not? Do you recognize some but know them by different names? How do you feel about the Malian explanation for these illnesses?

  2. Why is it more difficult to eradicate malaria than other diseases such as smallpox? If malaria were a major cause of death in western, industrialized countries do you think more resources would be devoted to its prevention and cure? Are there other situations that parallel this? Explain.

  3. Why would the question "Is your child still alive?" be an inappropriate conversation opener in the U.S.? What have your experiences with death been? Do you think your experience is typical for people in the U.S.? How do your experiences, feelings or beliefs about death differ from those described for the people of Mali?

  4. Do you think the explanation of children turning into snakes is a logical or helpful way for the Bambara to cope with severely ill or handicapped children? How do people you know/or how do you attempt to explain events you/they can not explain? How do people in the U.S. (or people you know) deal with unmerited misfortune?

  5. How do you feel about the author's definition of normal? (Normal is what you are used to). Why was it difficult for the parents, and the author at some point, to recognize mild and moderate malnutrition?

  6. What sorts of diseases killed children in norhtern Mali? How do women feel about their children's deaths? How is it possible for a woman in Mali not to know why or how a child dies? Is the same thing possible here?

  7. How did the author feel about asking God to let her child, Miranda, live? How did you feel about her and her actions?

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