Pale Horse, Pale Rider

How do Miranda’s dreams juxtapose her lived reality?

How does news of the war or the influenza affect the people at home in the US? Are these events the most pressing issues in their lives?

In what ways do characters perform a false version of themselves for society at large? Why is this performance deemed necessary?

What is the importance of dancing to the characters and in the story?

How does Miranda’s survival alter her relationship with society?

The portrayal of Miranda’s fever bends time. How does the story use structure and the passage of time to suggest the dramatic impact of the disease on Miranda’s health?

Which does the story portray as more tragic: Adam dying or Miranda surviving? Why?

Chuck would rather be the theater critic than the sports reporter. How does his job echo ideas about public performance elsewhere in the story?