Me Before You, by JoJo Moyes

Characters
Clarks	Traynors
Louise Parents – Josie and Bernard Sister – Katrina and son, Thomas   Patrick – Louisa’s boyfriend	Will Parents – Camilla and Steven Georgina – sister   Nathan – physical therapist   Alicia – former girlfriend Rupert – fiancée/husband   Della – Steven’s girlfriend

 For discussion:

NOTE:  Page numbers refer to the paperback edition.

1. The author describes Lou’s style as “dressing inventively.”  How did you imagine her looking?

2. Discuss the Clark family’s treatment of Louisa vs. Katrina.  For example, her dad called Louisa “lardarse.” 

3. When Katrina had Thomas, Louisa slept in a very small room and gave them the larger room.  When they left for college, Louisa moved back to larger room, but Katrina thought they should still have the larger room for when they came home.  Do you agree or not?  Why?

4. Discuss Camilla, Will’s mother.  On page 32, the author wrote, “His mother wouldn’t look at him as she spoke, I noticed.  She kept her gaze about ten feel away on the floor.” 

a. Also, why did she keep touching her cross necklace?  This seemed like it was foreshadowing something, but was not mentioned at the end.  Why did the author mention it so often? 

5. Camilla had a way of speaking that made the other party feel inferior.  Louisa said, “I wondered if she knew that everything she said made the other person feel like an idiot.  I wondered if it was something she actually cultivated deliberately.”  (page 120)  Have you ever known someone like that?

6. What should Alicia have done regarding her and Will’s relationship after the accident?  Can you understand her thinking and decision?

7. When the Traynors built the annex after Will’s accident, why did they have two steps separating it from the house?  Why not a ramp?  (page 109)

8. What did you think about Louisa’s mother reaction at the end of the novel when she went to Switzerland to be with Will?  Did you think she might be more supportive of her daughter?

9. Did you like the ending, with Louisa at the café in Paris? 

10. Discuss the different reactions to the disabled by “ordinary” vs. middle class people.  (pages 161-162)  Louisa observed that “ordinary “people “stared, smiled sympathetically, expressed sympathy or ask...what had happened.”  But middle-class people pretended not to look but kept sneaking glances.  How do you think we should react when we encounter a handicapped person?

11. What does the title mean?  Who put themselves before someone else?

*****

First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.