Ask students what they think it was like to live in the 1950s. Have them interview a friend or relative who was alive during that time. Have students report their findings to the class. Ask them to discuss why Gypsy and Woodrow enjoy each other's company so much. Trace the development of their friendship from the beginning of the novel to the end.
Family is extremely important to most people in Appalachia.
Describe Woodrow's relationship with his father. Describe Gypsy's mother, Love, and her sister Belle's relationship as children. Describe the healing process that Gypsy and Woodrow go through. Discuss how Belle Prater's and Amos Leemaster's lives could have been different if they hadn't placed so much importance on appearances. Love is fanatical about her daughter Gypsy's appearance.