Mosquitoland

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What do mental health physicians mean when they talk about “psychosis”? What about “schizophrenia”? How is “anxiety” as a medical condition different from the kinds of “anxiety” many people experience? When authors write about characters who have medical or mental health conditions, why is the way the conditions are represented important?

Teaching Suggestion: Mosquitoland contains several characters with mental health conditions; some critics have expressed concern about the accuracy of these portrayals. The intention of this prompt is to reinforce the importance of accuracy and inclusiveness in academic settings. Because mental health topics are often misunderstood and can be stigmatized, establishing clear guidelines for discussing mental health in accurate and objective terms is important. Information from these or similar resources may help in developing additional context on the topic.

• This overview of schizophrenia, psychosis, and related conditions offers descriptions from the American Psychiatric Association.
• This article from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration discusses anxiety disorders.
• This article about the misuse of psychiatric terms comes from a licensed clinical social worker.

2. What are some examples of stories, games, and other media in which characters go on a road trip? Why might this trope be so popular?

Teaching Suggestion: Mosquitoland is largely the story of Mim’s journey north to see her mother. As in many road trip stories, Mim learns important lessons about herself and life along the way. Students will likely be very familiar with this trope and may enjoy discussing this question aloud and hearing one another’s examples. They may even have some preliminary ideas about why this trope is popular; small groups might work together to compile a brief “top 3” list of reasons to share with the larger group. Information from resources listed below is intended to broaden their ideas about the literary uses of the road trip trope.

• This article from Bloomberg dissects the significance of the road trip to American culture.
• This 14-minute video from the PBS Idea Channel discusses the history and deeper meaning of the road trip.
• This article from Atlas Obscura maps some of the most well-known literary road trips.

Personal Connection Prompt

If someone you loved was in trouble far away and you were traveling alone to try to get to them, what are some reasonable fears and hopes you might have about the trip? Do you suspect that you might also have irrational fears or irrational hopes? What might your answer say about you?

Teaching Suggestion: Mim, the protagonist of Mosquitoland, is a teenager traveling alone across the country. Considering their own potential emotions in similar circumstances may provide students with insights into Mim’s character. Because students may be more likely to think deeply about this topic if they are not concerned about their peers as an audience, this prompt may be a good choice for an individualized, personal journal response.