44 pages • 1 hour read
Jennifer Thompson-Cannino, Ronald Cotton, Erin TorneoPicking Cotton: Our Memoir Of Injustice And Redemption
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2009A 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
How does the authors’ strategy of alternating narrators affect how the memoir's plot unfolds? What is the goal of this technique? Is it effective? Why or why not?
Why do you believe that Jennifer describes her rape in such graphic detail? This is not always the case in memoirs that deal with rape. Find another memoir that focuses on the experience of sexual assault and compare and contrast the authors' approaches to describing the crime and its physical and emotional aftermath.
In prison, Ronald was able to preserve his humanity and avoid the dehumanized quality he deplored in other inmates. How was this possible for him? Use evidence from the text in your response.
Is Robbin’s anger toward Jennifer just? Why or why not? Use examples from the text in your response.
What role do gender expectations play in the text? How is Jennifer subject to these expectations, and how does she respond to them?
Memory is shown to be fallible in Picking Cotton. Research other real-life cases in which faulty eyewitness testimony played a major role. How were the cases resolved? How did the wrongfully convicted individuals react upon being exonerated?
How does the memoir portray law enforcement and the justice system? Is its portrayal fair? Why or why not?
Discuss the roles of faith and forgiveness in the memoir. Do Jennifer and Ronald use religious or spiritual faith to help them through their journeys? How does this help them process their traumatic experiences? Use examples from the text in your response.
Describe the significance of the title Picking Cotton. What associations does it evoke, and why might the authors have wanted them in the text?
What is the significance of Ronald performing a song for the jury as his statement after his second conviction? How does this action reflect his perception of himself and his innocence?
