Below, list all of the family members you can think of, dead or alive, whom you know, or about whom you know.  You might want to start with family members about whom you have heard stories. List everyone you can call to mind:
 
 

In order to narrow the material, list any relatives who have skeletons in the closet, any eccentric relatives, relatives from whom the family is estranged for one reason or another, people who are always spoken of in whispers (perhaps only in the past), black sheep, people who are admired or inspire ambivalence, etc.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

List family members for whom you feel great admiration and would like to pay tribute.
 

Use the following questions to help generate names of other significant people in your life:
 Who was your biggest influence?
 Who was your first love?
 Who were you afraid of?
 Who comforted you?
 Who were the bringers of joy?
 Who made you laugh?
 Who made you feel important?
 Who fought with you?
 Who was the mysterious person?
 Whom did you admire?  Who admired you?
 Who was your best friend?  Who was your worst enemy?
 Who was your biggest nightmare?
 Who loved you?  Whom did you love?
 Who feared you?  Whom did you fear?
 
 
 
 

Worksheet for Generating Material About a Particular Person

Again, answers are private unless you wish to share.

1.  What makes this person different from everyone else?

2.  What eccentricities does this person have?
 

3.  What name does the family have for this person—the drinking uncle, the story teller, the best cook, etc.?  Or what would his or her family say about this person?
 

4.  For what does this person have a reputation?  (Wearing disreputable clothing and being proud of it, being overly frugal, never telling the truth, being overly flirtatious? Etc.)
 

5.  has this person experienced any unusual tragedy which has affected her/his life?
 

6.  Are there any secrets or events this person doesn’t like to talk about?
 

7.  Where is this person vulnerable?

8.  What are some funny stories about this person?
 

9.  What is the focus of this person’s life?
 

10.  What images do you associate with this person?
 

11.  What activities do you associate with this person?
 
 

12  What metaphor could you derive from any one of the things listed above, or any aspect of the person’s life?

13. What objects are associated with this person?  What metaphors could be derived from them?