How do Maggie Smith’s form and structure contribute to the meaning of the text? How and why does the text resist the expectation of closure that comes with more traditional modes of storytelling?

Compare Smith’s You Could Make This Place Beautiful to Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking. What is each woman’s experience with grief and loss? How does writing help both women process their experiences?

How does Smith manage and confront uncertainty? How does her need to control the future connect with her childhood?