45 pages • 1 hour read
Patti SmithJust Kids
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2010A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
In what ways did Mapplethorpe's Catholic upbringing influence his adult life, particularly his relationship with Smith, his sexuality, and his art?
Smith characterizes her relationship with Mapplethorpe as mutually beneficial and positive. Do you agree or disagree with this assessment? Why or why not?
Why was Smith so drawn to the French poet Arthur Rimbaud?
Smith's father tells her she's not attractive enough to find a husband. The nurses in her delivery room are mean to her. Given these sexist experiences, how does Smith seem to regard her gender? What kinds of experiences does she have as an adult, related to her gender?
To what do you attribute Smith and Mapplethorpe's success? Their relationship? Their luck? Their circumstances? Their hard work? Some combination of these?
What role does the Chelsea Hotel play in the lives of Smith and Mapplethorpe?
Smith and Mapplethorpe experience a great deal of loss—both personal and public—throughout Just Kids. What are some of these losses and how do they affect Smith and Mapplethorpe?
Why might Smith have gotten famous before Mapplethorpe?
What is Mapplethorpe's relationship to his own sexuality?
How would you characterize Smith's writing style for this memoir? How does this style affect the reading of the memoir?
