Essay Questions

How was Michael affected by Diane's death?

Relatives describe Michael as being depressed and low after Diane's death. They describe how he would avidly play solitaire, in an attempt to block out the world, even when they would visit. Michael describes himself as being knocked down by her death but said that having Sarah helped him to recover.

How do Diane's children describe their late mother?

Diane's children and friends all have great memories with her, most of which include her laughing and having a good time. Overall, Diane is described as a fun-loving and gregarious character, who was always warm and pleasant. She was an actress who enjoyed partying and living her life to the full, something that makes her a memorable person to many people. For example, her son describes her in the following passage:

"my memory of mum is of someone who is very loud, she walked heavily.. she was a fun person at parties and to have in an audience because she laughed loud."

What is the significance of the Margaret Atwood quote at the beginning of the documentary?

At the beginning of the documentary, Sarah quotes Margaret Atwood's novel Alias Grace: "When you're in the middle of a story it isn't a story at all but only a confusion, a dark roaring blindness, a wreckage of shattered glass and splintered wood... it's only afterward that it becomes anything like a story at all when you're telling it to yourself or to someone else."

This quote immediately introduces the significance of storytelling, which is a key theme in this documentary. It also suggests that Sarah can only tell the story of her family with hindsight, as at the time it didn't feel like a story.