“A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote
While reading the story, take notes on the major events of the story, as well as what is emphasized by
the author and how it is emphasized.
Section
Paragraphs
1-8
Paragraphs
9-11
Paragraphs
12 – 19
What happens
What is emphasized and HOW
Paragraphs
20 – 29
Paragraphs
30 – 34
Paragraphs
35 – 41
Paragraphs
42 – 45
“A Christmas Memory” ANSWER KEY
While reading the story, take notes on the major events of the story, as well as what is emphasized by
the author and how it is emphasized.
Section
What happens
The narrator describes his
“friend”
Paragraphs
1-5
Buddy’s friend announces
that “it’s fruitcake weather”
and wants to get started
baking 30 cakes.
What is emphasized and HOW
The woman’s enthusiasm is emphasized by the punctuation
(exclamation points) and excitement in her eyes. The language she
uses shows her impatience (stop stuffing biscuit). Also, the fact that
her excitement is mentioned in two different places in this section –
interrupted by background information – shows its importance.
Students may also make a case that just the fact that the other
relatives make them cry lends emphasis to the fact that they don’t
get along due to the emotional nature of the statement.
NOTE: Not much is emphasized since this is the exposition.
They prepare to go in search
of pecans
Paragraphs
6-8
The pecans were difficult to
get/find
They shell the pecans for the
fruitcakes
Buddy reveals how he and his
friend make money for their
“fruitcake fund.”
Paragraphs
9 – 12
Buddy describes his friend by
telling what she does and
does not do.
They count their money,
again remembering how they
earned it.
The buggy and its uses are emphasized by vivid language and lengthy
description. This object seems to embody their adventures and bond
to each other.
The shelling of the pecans is emphasized by the length of the
description, showing how well the two work together and how much
they enjoy each other’s company. Buddy’s friend’s suggestion to
deprive themselves of eating any shows how important the quality of
the cakes is to his friend.
The fact that Buddy and his friend worked together to earn this
money is emphasized. No examples are given of either of them
making money without the other.
The personality of Buddy’s friend being very naïve and childlike is
emphasized by both the juvenile nature of the activities they do to
make money and the list of things that she does and doesn’t do (she
doesn’t wear cosmetics or curse, but does feed hungry dogs and tell
ghost stories). NOTE: A few examples of other activities are given
that don’t fit this pattern; the teacher may discuss with students how
this serves to emphasize the other examples of her naïveté even
more.
Paragraphs
13 – 19
Buddy and his friend go to
buy whiskey from Mr. Haha
Jones
They bake the cakes.
Paragraphs
20 – 30
They send them to people
who “strike their fancy.”
They drink leftover whiskey
The other relatives yell at
Buddy’s friend.
Buddy and his friend go and
cut their tree
Paragraphs
31 – 39
They work together to
decorate it
They work secretly to make
each other kites
Paragraphs
40 – 46
Paragraphs
47 – 50
The description of Mr. Haha Jones and his cafe is emphasized by the
vivid language and fear that is evident in the description (“People
have been murdered in Haha’s café. Cut to pieces. Hit on the head.”
And “He does have scars, he doesn’t smile.”)
The fact that Mr. Jones does not end up to be what they expect is
also emphasized by the humor used (“Which one of you is a drinkin’
man?” and “We’ll put an extra cup of raisins in his cake.”)
The people who they send the cakes to are emphasized by the
amount of time/space/detail dedicated to them. This again shows
her naiveté and childlike desire to connect to these people they
barely know.
The drinking of whiskey is emphasized by the amount of detail used
in the description of that scene. In contrast, the relatives’ return and
the admonishment of Buddy’s friend is brief and vague, showing that
the celebration and friendship is more important than the opinions
of the other relatives.
The adventure picking out the tree is emphasized by the amount of
time/space/detail dedicated to it. This shows how special this
memory is to Buddy.
Making decorations is also emphasized by the amount of detail
given, showing how well the two work together.
The gifts that they give each other are emphasized by the contrast
given to what they would like to give each other.
Buddy and his friend spend
Christmas Eve together.
Again, the gifts are emphasized by the time and space given to them
and the emotional nature of the conversation.
On Christmas day, they
exchange gifts and fly kites
The kite-flying and the woman’s realization about the importance of
the small things in life is emphasized by the language used.
Buddy explains why this is the
last Christmas they spend
together.
The death of Buddy’s friend is emphasized by the emotional nature
of the event, the lengthy description leading up to it, and the imagery
used to symbolize the event.
Movie Versions :
Two movie versions exist. The first is the original 1966 ABC Television presentation starring
Geraldine Page and narrated by Truman Capote which is available on You Tube. The
second is a 1997 remake starring Patty Duke. This version may need to be purchased, and
is currently available on Amazon for $8.
Because there are two versions and teachers may choose to stop the movie in different
places, it is impossible to create an answer key such as the one for the story (print) version.
Here are some suggested ideas for answers for the movie versions:
1966 version: Many of the emphasized parts are the same as the book. This version is
much more true to the story. Students may notice that Buddy and his friend (Sook) are
very close and show this closeness visually. They look at each other with kindness and
love, are often physically close in many scenes, and are often shot in the same frame.
Sook’s naiveté is shown through her acting as well – for example, she seems honestly
bewildered that she is being reprimanded for giving Buddy whiskey. Her facial expressions
emphasize many of the same qualities that are emphasized through words in the original.
1997 version: This version adds many characters and scenes and has a completely different emphasis
and tone as the original story. This version emphasizes the extended family (those who Know Best) who
are alluded to but not seen or heard directly in the original story. In this movie, these characters have
well-developed personalities and seem to have Buddy’s best interests at heart – definitely NOT the idea
we get in the story version at all.
This movie also echoes To Kill a Mockingbird in that it emphasizes common childhood experiences such
as the presence of scary, unknown adult figures. Haha is much more prevalent in the movie version, as
is Buddy’s childhood friend. The children sneak around, dare each other, spit swear, and generally
behave like children, none of which was present in the original story version at all.
Storytelling is also emphasized – Buddy tells the entire story of what happened at Haha’s Café to Sook.
He also gives his friend a book (diary) for her to write her stories.
Many of these events seem to be an attempt to foreshadow Truman Capote’s later life (and Harper
Lee’s as well) but were not present in the story “A Christmas Memory.”