I Never Promised You a Rose Garden

How does Greenberg manage to communicate the direct experiences of Deborah’s mental health condition to the reader so that they may in some sense know what it is like? Examine writing style, literary devices, language, and the specifically chosen details.

How was Deborah’s mental health condition influenced and shaped by her early experiences of antisemitism, medical abuse, and the expectations of her extended family? In your opinion, does the text suggest that Deborah would have been fine without these experiences, or will Deborah need to work with her mental health condition all of her life? Support your claims.

Why are Connection and Communication such an important aspect of Deborah’s journey of self-discovery and healing? How does she slowly break through into the world of the living through her relationship with Carla and through her relationship with Dr. Fried?