What is the significance of race in ‘‘Gorilla, My Love’’? How might Hazel’s story change if it were set in a different location, era, or within a family of a different cultural background?

How would you go about filming this story? Would it be challenging to depict the children's energy and excitement as they disrupt the movie while still ensuring the audience remains sympathetic to them?

What age group does ‘‘Gorilla, My Love’’ appear to target? What elements of Bambara’s writing suggest this? How might children around Hazel’s age (approximately ten to twelve years old) interpret the story differently compared to older teenagers or adults?

Much of Hazel’s worldview is shaped by the movies she watches. Are these films reliable guides? If people today believed everything they saw in movies, what understandings or misunderstandings might they develop about the world?

Why does Hazel’s mother visit her school? Does she represent a typical mother? How involved are parents in the elementary schools you are familiar with?

Hazel lives with both of her biological parents and her two brothers; her Granddaddy and various aunts and uncles live either with them or nearby. How common are extended families like this in your area? What factors might explain why more families are separated by divorce and geography today compared to the early 1970s?