The Happiest Day of Your Life

QUESTIONS on the text “The Happiest Day of Your Life”

In pairs, answer the following questions:

1. Give a brief plot summary of the text (who, where, when, what, why).

The mother Jean is about to deliver her 8 years old to the Royal Road, and she is devastated about losing a child. Her 3 kids are all highly intelligent, and have all attended the Royal Road.

1. What is the Royal Road?

The Royal Road is a highly advanced education system for gifted (plus 140 IQ) children. They have the opportunity to achieve many years of education in just 2 hours. The price of attending the academy is equal to a standard college and university petition.

Edward Martinelli founded the “school”.

1. Characterize the mother, Jean (relations to and attitude towards others) (give a quote).

Mother Jean is devastated that she for the third time has to lose a child. She feels left alone between her intelligent husband, and now her children who attended the Royal Road: “But why, Jean wondered, did it have to happen to me? To my children? Or why couldn’t I have had a mind like Doug’s? So that the Royal Road would bring the boys closer to me, instead of...” (p. 3, l. 14-15).

1. Characterize the father, Doug (relations to and attitude towards others) (give a quote).

Father Doug is highly intelligent, and shows little emotion towards his wife. This could be a side effect of the Royal Road Academy: ““Jean!” Doug Bannion’s voice was harsh with exasperation as he hunched over the steering wheel. His knuckles glowed through the skin, the color of old ivory.” (p. 4, l. 1-2).

1. Characterize their sons (relations to and attitude towards others) (give quotes).

The sons are emotionally empty and instead of comforting their mother, they simply conclude, ““Mother is an emotional spendthrift,” said ten-year-old Boyd.” and

““She has a tendency towards spiritual self-immolation,” said eleven-year-old Theodore.” (p. 1, l. 10-11).

1. Describe the social environment (give quotes).

The social environment is build up on the norms of high intelligence, money, power, class and forming your life to absolutely perfection in every aspect – job, family, wealth, clothing etc.

“There’s more room in my office,” said eleven-years-old Theodore. “Besides, the new Fiduciary Obligations Act gets its final reading next week, and I’m going to be involved in a dozen compensation suits. So I need him more than you do.” (s. 2, l. 3-5)