What does May do when an unpleasant topic is brought up? What is the only thing that seems to help her get over it?

What does May do when an unpleasant topic is brought up? What is the only thing that seems to help her get over it?

• A. Laugh loudly and change the subject.
• B. Cry 'Oh, Susanna!'
• C. Sing a hymn to calm down.
• D. Run away from the conversation.

Answer: (B)

May faces uncomfortable topics by turning to a familiar, soothing ritual: she cries out the line "Oh, Susanna!" This moment acts as a release valve for her emotions, giving her a concrete cue to pause, reset, and settle the surge of distress. The song is tied to memory and safety, so repeating it helps her regain control and move past the moment of discomfort. It isn’t about avoiding the topic or distractingly changing the subject; it’s about using this ritual to calm down and feel grounded again. Other reactions would shift the moment in different ways—laughing and changing the subject glosses over the issue, singing a hymn could be calming but isn’t the specific coping pattern described, and running away is avoidance. The distinct, repeated use of that line is what uniquely helps her get over it.

May faces uncomfortable topics by turning to a familiar, soothing ritual: she cries out the line "Oh, Susanna!" This moment acts as a release valve for her emotions, giving her a concrete cue to pause, reset, and settle the surge of distress. The song is tied to memory and safety, so repeating it helps her regain control and move past the moment of discomfort. It isn’t about avoiding the topic or distractingly changing the subject; it’s about using this ritual to calm down and feel grounded again.

Other reactions would shift the moment in different ways—laughing and changing the subject glosses over the issue, singing a hymn could be calming but isn’t the specific coping pattern described, and running away is avoidance. The distinct, repeated use of that line is what uniquely helps her get over it.