The blue room with stars on the ceiling is first evoked at the beginning of Money Hungry, when Raspberry recalls living in the van found in the junkyard. Momma, ever the optimistic dreamer, envisions the interior of her and Raspberry’s future home, saying: “What color room you want? Yeah, I figured you’d want blue […] and a few stars, so we don’t forget that even bad times is sprinkled with a little good” (Chapter 4).

Considering the full scope of the novel and its overarching themes, what do you think the motif of the blue room with stars on the ceiling represents? What larger meaning(s) does it have for Raspberry and Momma?

Teaching Suggestion: The blue room with stars on the ceiling is, primarily, a motif in Money Hungry and stands for Momma and Raspberry’s shared vision for a better life. Though the blue room has not materialized by the end of the text, Raspberry and Momma have begun to rebuild their lives after the robbery and are closer than ever to achieving their dreams. At the end of the novel, Raspberry is better poised to see that hope remains in every challenging situation. Before embarking on this discussion, particularly discussion on whether the blue room with stars on the ceiling is a symbol or a motif, you may want to review the