How would the course of the story be altered if Mrs. Palladino had provided more emotional and realistic support for Liz?

Discuss the impact of the respective family situations on each of the characters.

How is the situation of teen pregnancy perceived today as opposed to the view of the situation in the 1960s?

Discuss the role responsibilities and inequities in the relationships of young people who become sexually active.

Do you think that Maggie is an example of a true friend or simply someone willing to martyr her true needs to be accepted?

How could Sean's father have altered the course of the novel if he had behaved differently and provided more mature advice on the topic of unwanted pregnancy?

Discuss Sean's obsession with suicide. Do you think his thoughts and dark writings on the topic would go unaddressed by teachers today?

Project each...