Alamo House Women Without Men, Men Without Brains

1. Circa 1800, self-styled "Texans" fought for their independence from Mexico in the Battle for the Alamo. At the time, the Texans branded themselves revolutionaries. In what ways can the contemporary Texan women in this novel also be described as revolutionaries? 2.Feminism creates a strong sub-theme throughout Alamo House. Discuss Mary Jo's ambiguous feelings about feminism. 3.Alamo House in located on Pecan Street, which Mary Jo thinks is a prodigious metaphor. Discuss the idea that the women in the house were "nuts." Do you think they were? Or were they independent and self-expressive? 4.Among the many women who lived in Alamo House, Mary Jo, Collie and Fayrene quite distinct from each other, yet their threesome friendship made sense. Discuss the dynamics between these three women. 5.Collie is the novel's most enigmatic character. Did you find her enigma enticing, repulsive, or both (like Mary Jo)? Who do you think Collie really isMarilyn Monroe, Janis Joplin, Sylvia Plath, or Cordelia Mohoric? 6.Much of Mary Jo's time is spent on the fifth floor of the LBJ Presidential Library. Yet, as an archivist, her work includes stacking small pieces of petrified wedding cake rather than filing important presidential memorandum. Discuss possible political messages behind this paradox. 7.There are many examples of perfect femininity given throughout the novel: Mary Jo's collection of Ladies' Home Journals, the SUKs anthem of "California Girls," and the infamous females that Collie imitates. Do you think that only one of these can be the correct example of feminine perfection? Is there such a thing as feminine perfection? Can a woman be both Marilyn Monroe and Sylvia Plath? 8.Mary Jo leaves Roger for Alamo House because of Roger's sloth. Yet, Alamo House is much dirtier establishment, and Mary Jo ends up committing to live there by the novel's end. What happened to her obsession with cleanliness? Was it simply a problem in her relationship with Roger, or was it something else entirely? What do you think signals this change in the book? 9.Collie tells Mary Jo and Fayrene that the only way to relate to men is through The Axiom "The party of the most interest is the party of the least power." Is The Axiom correct? If so, how? How do Collie's experiences with men embody and/or defy The Axiom? 10. Collie states "Men are such Trollops." Do you agree with this statement? Who in the book would you describe as a trollop? Do any of the women qualify? Or, as Collie's evaluation seems to imply, are women always nicer than men? 11. Collie and Mary Jo engage in a lot of casual sex, as well as the SUKs across the street. What do you think about this part of the story? Although Alamo House was written in the mid-1980s, there is no mention of the AIDS crisis that beginning to grip the country. Do you think these students were unaware of the crisis, or simply thought themselves immune to it? Would these attitudes be acceptable within current social norms? If written today, what sexual attitudes might the characters in Alamo House exhibit? 12.Do you think Alamo House's retaliation against the SUKs was well-deserved? Or do you think they went overboard? Did you ever find yourself in a similar situation in college? 13. During an ad hoc house meeting, Mary Jo narrates "For the next half hour the group batted around terms like womb envy and homophobia, misogyny and aural rape." Given these basic points of 1980s feminism, how do you think feminism is depicted in Alamo House? Is it shown as something that advances or hinders the progress of women in society? How do you see it? 14. Collie and Tommy are the two most important people in Mary Jo's life after Roger. In what ways do they influence her life for the better? For the worse? Which one do you think enables her to become a better person? 15.Fayrene shows up at Alamo House as a Bible-beating virgin. Yet, a few months later, she loses her virginity in a one-night stand with an Arab national. What does this signal about the change in her character? Do you think this is due solely to Collie's influence on her? Why, or why not? 16.After Collie's departure, Fayrene tells Mary Jo that Collie did not tell her the truth about her identity because she's "normal." What do you think Fayrene meant? Was it a compliment or not? Did you think Mary Jo is "normal"? 17. At the end of Alamo House, the women engage in their own Battle for the Alamo. Unlike the original battle, the women win. Why were the women successful? Was it simply ingenuity, or something else?Bird, Sarah is the author of 'Alamo House Women Without Men, Men Without Brains' with ISBN 9780345460073 and ISBN 0345460073.