Before You Were Mine

• What was a popular social activity in the 1950s?

  Ballroom dancing
• How did ballroom dancing serve individuals in the 1950s?

  It was a way to meet potential spouses
• What does the ballroom symbolize regarding the mother's desires?

  Endless possibilities for meeting someone
• How might the ballroom be interpreted in terms of gender roles?

  It objectifies women as they are scrutinized
• What does the adjective "fizzy" suggest about the mother's personality?

  She has a bubbly, effervescent personality
• What connotation does "fizzy" have in relation to luxury?

  It relates to champagne, a luxurious drink
• What do "movie tomorrows" imply about the mother's aspirations?

  She hoped for a life of wealth and luxury
• How did movies influence society in the 1950s?

  They offered escapism and new ideas
• What does the loss of fizz in champagne symbolize for the mother’s future?

  Her hopes were unrealistic and mundane
• How did motherhood expectations change in the 1950s in Glasgow?

  Women were expected to stay home with children
• What does the phrase "unconditional sacrifices" imply about motherhood?

  Motherhood requires significant personal sacrifices
• What does the phrase "the ballroom with a thousand eyes" suggest?

  It implies scrutiny and attention on women
• What does the phrase "movie tomorrows" imply about the mother's dreams?

  Her dreams are filled with hope and glamour
• What type of movies reached new heights of popularity in the 1950s?

  American movies
• How did Roman Catholicism influence women's roles in the 1950s?

  It emphasized traditional motherhood roles
• What literary device is used in the phrase "stamping stars"?

  Sibilance
• What does the verb "stamping" convey in the context?

  Frustration and disappointment
• How does the phrase "Walk of Fame" relate to the mother's life?

  It symbolizes her lost carefree lifestyle
• What does "the wrong pavement" suggest about the mother's choices?

  She may have made poor life choices
• What societal expectation is highlighted for women in the 1950s?

  Marriage and motherhood as career options
• What does the contrast between "wrong pavement" and "the right walk home" imply?

  Marriage significantly impacts a woman's life
• What alternative interpretation is suggested about the mother's role?

  She shows defiance and passion as a mother
• How does the mother's role as a mother affect her identity?

  It allows her to make a mark on the world
• What image does the mother create in the text?

  A flirtatious image
• How is the mother described in relation to her dress?

  She is glamorous in a polka dot dress
• What famous scene does the text reference?

  Marilyn Monroe's skirt blown by an air vent
• What does Marilyn Monroe symbolize according to the text?

  Sexuality and femininity
• What does the text imply about the assertion of female sexuality?

  It represents individual freedom
• How did Marilyn Monroe die?

  Of a suspected overdose
• What does Monroe's death imply for the mother in the text?

  Her life will be tinged with sadness
• What opportunities will the mother be denied according to the text?

  Opportunities to fulfill her true potential
• What will happen to the mother's dreams of being carefree?

  They will ultimately die and fade into reality
• What does the word 'relic' refer to in this context?

  A sacred, religious object from the past
• What does the speaker's view of her mother's past imply?

  She worships and treasures it as precious
• What does the noun "ghost" suggest about the speaker's mother's past?

  It indicates that this part of her life is dead
• How is the imagery of death described in the text?

  It is ambiguous and open to interpretation
• What could the death imagery represent regarding the mother?

  Her physical death or loss of youth and dreams
• Why might the daughter feel haunted by her mother's past?

  She feels guilty for her mother's sacrifices
• What does the phrase "forsake her fun and freedom" imply about the mother's choices?

  She gave up personal enjoyment for motherhood
• How does the relationship between the daughter and her mother's past influence the daughter's identity?

  It shapes her feelings of guilt and nostalgia