How to Become a Writer

Francie, her mother, and her roommate illustrate contrasting versions of womanhood throughout “How to Become a Writer.” How does this story explore notions of feminism and post-feminist ideas in Francie’s attempts to be a writer?

The story is told in the second person blended with the detail, description, and interiority often seen in the first or third person. In what scenes does the narrator shift from the second person focus, and what effect does it have on the narrative?

In what ways does the text illustrate Frankie’s attempts to make meaning of her brother’s injury? Consider the ways in which violence and injury are referenced.