Left Neglected Summary

10 questions on the plot and the characters. Each answer comes with a short explanation.

Take it one question at a time

1. Question 1

   What is Sarah Nickerson's profession before her accident?

   1. Senior Partner at a law firm
   2. Vice President of Human Resources at Berkley Consulting
   3. Chief Operating Officer at a tech startup
   4. Marketing Director for a major corporation
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   B. Vice President of Human Resources at Berkley Consulting Sarah Nickerson is described as the vice president of human resources at Berkley Consulting, a demanding role that contributes to her overscheduled life.

2. Question 2

   Which of Sarah's children is nine months old at the beginning of the book?

   1. Lucy
   2. Charlie
   3. Linus
   4. Henry
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   C. Linus The synopsis states Sarah has three children: Lucy, Charlie, and nine-month-old Linus.

3. Question 3

   What medical condition does Sarah develop as a result of her traumatic brain injury?

   1. Amnesia, causing her to forget her family
   2. Aphasia, making her unable to speak
   3. Left Neglect, erasing the left side of her world
   4. Paraplegia, leaving her unable to walk
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   C. Left Neglect, erasing the left side of her world The book's title and description explicitly state that a traumatic brain injury 'completely erases the left side of her world,' which is the core symptom of Left Neglect.

4. Question 4

   What specific action was Sarah performing that led to her car accident?

   1. Adjusting the radio while driving
   2. Trying to make a phone call while driving
   3. Reading a report on her dashboard
   4. Disciplining one of her children in the back seat
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   B. Trying to make a phone call while driving The synopsis details that 'while driving to work and trying to make a phone call, she looks away from the road for one second too long,' leading to the accident.

5. Question 5

   Before her accident, how did Sarah manage her highly scheduled life?

   1. She relied heavily on her husband, Bob, to manage most of the household tasks.
   2. She delegated nearly all child-rearing responsibilities to her nanny.
   3. She managed every minute of her life like an air traffic controller, despite feeling like a 'balloon about to burst.'
   4. She frequently missed appointments and deadlines due to her busy schedule.
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   C. She managed every minute of her life like an air traffic controller, despite feeling like a 'balloon about to burst.' The text describes Sarah as 'a self-confessed balloon about to burst,' who 'miraculously manages every minute of her life like an air traffic controller.'

6. Question 6

   What is one of Sarah's immediate practical struggles after her injury?

   1. Remembering the names of her children
   2. Understanding complex business documents
   3. The inability to floss her own teeth
   4. Communicating with her husband and nanny
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   C. The inability to floss her own teeth The synopsis specifically highlights her struggle, stating, 'Without the ability to even floss her own teeth, she struggles to find answers about her past and her uncertain future.'

7. Question 7

   How does Sarah's relationship with her formerly absent mother change after the accident?

   1. Sarah actively pushes her mother away, refusing any help.
   2. Her mother becomes even more absent, overwhelmed by the situation.
   3. Sarah relinquishes control to her mother, among others, indicating a new reliance.
   4. Their relationship remains unchanged, still distant and strained.
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   C. Sarah relinquishes control to her mother, among others, indicating a new reliance. The text states, 'for once, Sarah relinquishes control to those around her, including her formerly absent mother,' implying a shift in their dynamic and her reliance on her mother.

8. Question 8

   What is the primary psychological theme explored through Sarah's journey of healing?

   1. The struggle for power and dominance within family dynamics.
   2. The importance of achieving career success at any cost.
   3. The realization that true happiness and peace may lie in slowing down and appreciating life beyond career and control.
   4. The psychological impact of social isolation and loneliness.
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   C. The realization that true happiness and peace may lie in slowing down and appreciating life beyond career and control. The synopsis concludes by stating Sarah 'must learn that her real destiny - her new, true life - may in fact lie far from the world of conference calls and spreadsheets. And that a happiness and peace greater than all the success in the world is close within reach, if only she slows down long enough to notice.' This directly points to the theme of re-evaluating priorities.

9. Question 9

   Before her injury, what was Sarah's attitude towards her son's potential ADD diagnosis?

   1. She readily accepted the teacher's assessment and sought immediate treatment.
   2. She was actively trying to convince his teacher that he may not, in fact, have ADD.
   3. She was too busy to address the issue and delegated it to her nanny.
   4. She believed it was a misdiagnosis and planned to homeschool him instead.
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   B. She was actively trying to convince his teacher that he may not, in fact, have ADD. The text mentions Sarah 'convincing her son’s teacher that he may not, in fact, have ADD,' indicating her active role in disputing the diagnosis, likely due to her desire for her children to be perfect and her tightly controlled life.

10. Question 10

    The description implies Sarah's life before the accident was characterized by a specific psychological state. Which best describes it?

    1. Contentment and deep fulfillment
    2. Relaxed and spontaneous enjoyment
    3. An over-scheduled, over-achieving existence where she felt like a 'balloon about to burst.'
    4. A quiet and introspective pursuit of personal growth.
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    C. An over-scheduled, over-achieving existence where she felt like a 'balloon about to burst.' The text explicitly describes her as an 'over-scheduled, over-achieving Harvard graduate' and a 'self-confessed balloon about to burst,' highlighting the immense pressure and stress she was under.