One Whole and Perfect Day might primarily be a young adult novel, but the portrayal of elderly characters trying to cope with the changes in their children and grandchildren makes its contribution to the genre pretty rare. Through May, Stan, and even Sef (both real and imaginary), we get to see how the Samson family's difficulties have affected them, as well as the real stories behind issues like May's alleged battiness and Stan's anger problem.
And importantly, the book's view of familial conflict from the perspective of both the young and the old is what makes it just as much the story of a family as it is the story of Lily.
Questions About Old Age
- How have May and Stan responded to old age differently? How about similarly?
- What are some of the reasons why Stan thinks the good old days were better than the present?
- Why is May's friendship with Sef so important to the story?
- How does Lily perceive the elderly? How do the elderly characters perceive the younger characters?
Chew on This
While Stan often criticizes Lily's and Lonnie's beliefs and lifestyles, he's more like them than he's willing to admit.
Sef's reemergence is a majorly important part of Lily's realization about the true character of her family members.