November Blues

Compare November Blues with another contemporary novel about teenage pregnancy, such as Perfect Family, by Jerrie Oughton. What is emphasized in each text, and how are the respective novels’ protagonists similar or different? What implicit message(s) are Draper and Oughton trying to impart on the reader?

“I think music in itself is healing,” American musician Billy Joel once said. How does music heal the wounds of different characters in the novel, namely, Mrs. Nelson, Jericho, and Olivia?

What role does language play in the portrayal of the novel’s characters? How does Draper characterize through word choice?