Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations

How can open conversations change the way people relate to each other in a multicultural society?

Which historical events in American history have contributed significantly to the continuous presence of racism against people of color, and how do these events shape the way people view each other?

Choose a conversation between Z and his parents. How would you answer the questions he asks? Explain and justify your reasoning for your answers.

Identify another novel or memoir that encapsulates the experiences of a person of color living in racialized America. How do their experiences compare with Mira’s, and what do the similarities and differences between their experiences suggest?

During the Trump election and presidency, many Americans found themselves in the midst of rifts and disconnections with family and friends they were once close with, just like Mira’s experience with Jed’s parents. Why did Trump’s election cause such a massive divide, how did it affect families, and what can Americans do to begin closing the gap?

What does it mean to be an American?

Do you think race relations have improved in America or worsened? Defend your answer with evidence from the memoir and your own research, and feel free to include personal experiences if you choose.

Mira’s stylistic choices in the creation of her graphic novel are unique and unconventional. How do the image-dominant photographs and illustrations, as well as the way their composition and symbolism, illustrate the plot of Mira’s memoir?