The Mighty Miss Malone

Father’s curious character quirk of using alliteration lends humor to some moments in Deza’s narrative; Deza, Mother, and Jimmie find it a comical and endearing trait. What might Father’s alliteration represent on a more symbolic level? Connect this trait to one or more of Deza’s character traits. Discuss character details from the story to support your ideas.

The chapter titles in The Mighty Miss Malone are sometimes humorous, sometimes rife with deeper meaning, but always very fitting for the main idea of the chapter. Select two or three chapter titles you find especially attention-getting and explain what makes them suitable titles for the contents of the respective chapters.

A journey story is often filled with secondary characters whom the protagonist meets only briefly before moving on. Examples in The Mighty Miss Malone include Marvelous Marvin, Miss Carter, Stew, Mr. Alums, and Mr. Jackson (there are others as well). Choose three secondary characters who impact Deza and discuss the ways in which they change Deza, teach her something, or bring her to a new opinion.

Deza begins and ends her narrative with the Malone family motto: “We are a family on a journey to a place called Wonderful.” What are three scenes or chapters in between the first and last chapter that demonstrate the fittingness of the Malones’ motto? What are three scenes or chapters in which the literal or figurative journey does not seem so wonderful? Include details from the scenes or chapters to show your points.

Several times in The Mighty Miss Malone, one of the family members keeps a secret from at least one of the others. Name at least three occurrences of this secrets motif. Usually a motif serves to strengthen a theme; what theme does the secrets motif support? Use book details to support your answer.

Deza shows physical and emotional strength and resilience throughout the story. Brainstorm a list of five to six times Jimmie, Mother, and/or Father also show strength and resilience. In what ways is each one’s inner strength similar to Deza’s? What details from these scenes prove your points?

List each physical gift that Deza receives from someone in the story (it is appropriate to name food as well as objects). What does each gift symbolize to Deza? Collectively, what do the gifts show the reader about the time period and culture of the Great Depression?

While each family member is well-characterized individually, the author also offers traits and qualities of the Malone family unit as a whole. What interesting quirks or shared ideas make the Malones special? What does each unusual trait represent to Deza? Why does the author show the Malones’ interesting particularities?