Read two other short stories by Mary Lavin and write an essay comparing and contrasting the main themes.

So much of the emotion in this story remains beneath the surface. How would you film this story, allowing for the suppressed emotions while conveying them? Write a screenplay for the final scenes in the story, beginning with Crossen's arrival at night.

Investigate the emotional stages that one goes through when a loved one dies. Chart these stages in a PowerPoint presentation.

Write a short story about the main character twenty years from the time in which the story is set.