45 pages • 1 hour read
Kelly YangFront Desk
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2018A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
The author uses a variety of characters to examine the theme of immigrant exploitation. In addition to the Tangs, discuss several other examples of exploitation in the novel.
In the novel, Mia learns to wield the power of the written word. Discuss the evolution of her literary skills, the methods she uses to improve, and who she helps with her writing.
Discuss the various forms of social exclusion highlighted in the novel.
What does the tip jar symbolize, and how does it function to further the plot?
Jason’s attitude changes over the course of the novel. Discuss the evolution of his character. How does his relationship with Mia factor into his transformation?
Explain the bicycle analogy. Who uses it, and why?
Much of the novel concerns itself with the theme of exclusion. Examine the opposite theme of inclusion. Who practices inclusion, and how does this activity help the characters achieve their dreams?
The old baseball cap means different things to different characters. Talk about its various positive and negative connotations.
Mia’s letters to others appear at various points in the story. What purpose do they serve? Do later letters differ from her earliest efforts?
Mia is the living embodiment of the concept that persistence overcomes resistance. Which other characters follow her example? Discuss their journeys in the context of this theme.
