In speaking of her family, the narrator says, “None of us had much warmth in our hearts” (49). How does this lack of parental love and affection affect the narrator? Cite at least three examples from the novel.

The narrator has a complicated relationship with Reva, her best friend from college. What about Reva is so bothersome to the narrator, and why does she choose to remain friends with her?

The narrator spends most of her waking hours watching movies. What effect does watching movies—even the same movies on repeat—have on the narrator? What does the narrator find comforting about movies?