Characters
Who is the protagonist of "The Mustache"?
Mike
Where does Mike visit his grandmother?
A nursing home
What does Mike learn by the end of the story?
That maturity involves understanding and empathy.
What is the primary internal conflict that Mike faces in the story?
Mike struggles with understanding his own maturity and his emotions toward his grandmother’s condition.
Who is Mike’s grandmother?
Annie
What does Mike grow in the story?
A mustache
What main theme is explored through Mike's experience with his grandmother?
Maturity and the passage of time
How does the conflict between Mike and his grandmother, Annie, manifest in the story?
Annie mistakes Mike for her late husband, which causes emotional confusion and makes Mike question his role in her life.
Who does Annie mistake Mike for?
Her late husband, Mike (the grandfather)
What emotion does Mike experience at the nursing home?
Empathy and confusion
What does Mike say about his mustache?
“I thought it made me look older, more mature.”
What is the external conflict Mike experiences during his visit to the nursing home?
Mike faces the challenge of dealing with his grandmother’s fading memory and the emotional burden it places on him.
What is the name of Mike's girlfriend?
Cindy
Who is Harry Arnold in the story?
A man from Annie's past who she talks about
What key object is central to the story’s theme of maturity?
Mike’s mustache
What role does Mike's mustache play in the conflict of the story?
The mustache symbolizes Mike's attempt to appear more mature, but it ultimately adds to the confusion between him and his grandmother.