Question

Visit to Lawnrest Nursing Home ​

The protagonist, Mike, visits his grandmother at Lawnrest Nursing Home after his sister Annie falls ill and cannot accompany him.
Mike feels conflicted about the visit, grappling with guilt and anxiety about entering a nursing home, which he associates with hospitals and death.
His mother, who frequently visits his grandmother, expresses concern about Mike's appearance, particularly his moustache, which has caused him issues with movie ticket pricing.

Grandmother's Condition

Mike's grandmother, once vibrant and full of life, now suffers from arteriosclerosis and memory loss, leading to her admission to the nursing home.
Despite her condition, she has moments of clarity, during which she recalls fond memories and expresses joy at Mike's visit.
The narrative highlights the emotional weight of their relationship, as Mike reflects on his grandmother's past and the impact of her illness on their connection.

Interactions and Memories

During their conversation, Mike's grandmother mistakenly believes he is her late husband, Michael, leading to poignant moments where she seeks forgiveness for past grievances.
She reminisces about their shared history, including a significant event that caused a rift in their relationship, revealing her vulnerability and longing for reconciliation.
Mike struggles with the emotional burden of her memories and the realization that she is not just his grandmother but a complex individual with her own life experiences.

Emotional Climax and Resolution

The visit culminates in a moment of tenderness where Mike, feeling overwhelmed, agrees to forgive her for past mistakes, despite the confusion surrounding their identities.
After a brief moment of connection, his grandmother's lucidity fades, leaving Mike feeling a mix of sadness and relief as he departs.
The narrative concludes with Mike shaving off his moustache, symbolizing a shift in his identity and a desire to move forward from the emotional weight of the visit.

Themes of Identity and Connection

The story explores themes of identity, as Mike grapples with his own sense of self in relation to his grandmother's memories and expectations.
It highlights the complexities of familial love, the impact of aging and memory loss, and the bittersweet nature of reconciling with the past.
Ultimately, the visit serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring bonds of family, even amidst the challenges of illness and memory.


Check-In (page 9): Read “The Moustache.” Use what you have learned about connotative and figurative meanings to answer the questions.
Question Answer
1. To whom does Mike compare his grandmother?
2. How does this comparison relate to Mike’s culture?
3. What similes are used to compare Mike’s grandmother and the actress?
4. How do the figurative meanings of the similes help readers to better understand Mike’s grandmother?
5. What is the connotative meaning of the word girlish? How does this meaning reflect how Mike sees and thinks about his grandmother at that moment?

Answer 1

1. He compares his grandmother to a movie actress — an old film star, the kind of glamorous woman you see on screen.

2. The comparison ties into Mike’s culture of movies and celebrity: he interprets people through images from film and popular culture, so he understands his grandmother in terms of the youthful, glamorous ideal promoted by Hollywood.

3. The passage uses similes such as “like an actress” and comparisons that imply she looks “as pretty as the woman in the picture” (and at one point she is described in a way that makes her seem “like a girl”). (Any of these are phrased as “like” or “as” comparisons.)

4. The figurative similes make the grandmother’s momentary clarity more vivid: they let readers picture a flash of the woman she once was — beautiful, lively, youthful — rather than only seeing her as an ailing old person. That contrast deepens the emotional effect and helps readers feel the loss and the brief restoration of her identity.

5. Connotatively, “girlish” means youthful, innocent, playful, and delicate — not merely female but young in spirit. Calling her girlish shows that Mike suddenly sees his grandmother as the young woman she used to be (vulnerable and alive), which changes how he feels about her in that moment.