Background of the author
"Where Characters Come From" by Ann Beattie
Like Updike's "Separating", Beattie's "Weekend" shows how intensely private and personal much of storytelling became in the second half of the 20th century. Both stories were written in the 70's, a period often associated with suburban angst and the steady disintegration of traditional family values. And both confront the pain of emotional loss with unflinching seriousness.
Class Discussion Questions:
1. In "Weekend," what chronic affliction does George have that bothers him periodically? Does this affliction have symbolic value, like in the O'Connor stories?
2. Why is Lenore so concerned with her daughter's imperfections?
3. What does Lenore show Julie to explain why she stays with George?
4. Describe Lenore's memory at the end of the story, when the narrator says, "She thinks of another time, when it was warm."
5. What allows Beattie to create such a gripping portrayal when the setting and characters are so familiar? I suppose we can ask again what Updike asked: is transcribing middleness "worth doing"?
