So This Is War

Explore how Wylie’s artistic aspirations relate to her sense of self. What is her relationship with art and why is she passionate about it? Consider how she feels when she’s able to draw versus when she doesn’t have the time to draw.

Compare and contrast Levi’s and Will Wood’s characters. In what ways do their personalities impact Wylie’s character? Why does Wylie often compare them to one another?

Is Wylie a dynamic character? If so, how does she change, and what experiences contribute to her change? If not, how does her consistency as a character provide the opportunity for change in other characters?

Compare and contrast the close friendships of Wylie and Levi. What do these relationships bring out in Levi and Wylie? Do they value their friends, and if so, how? How does the novel use these interpersonal dynamics to complicate Levi’s and Wylie’s characters?

The novel depicts explicit sexual encounters between Levi and Wylie throughout the novel. In what ways do the protagonists’ sexual encounters complicate the novel’s explorations of power, self-discovery, and personal integrity?

Explore how Wylie’s relationship with Wood influences her definition of love. How does her dad treat her as a child and an adult? How does her dynamic with him impact the development of her relationship with Levi?

How does the novel use setting to reflect the characters’ personalities or internal conflicts? Consider how the characters relate to spaces like the arena, the locker room, the nanny's apartment, and Levi’s apartment. What do these spaces look and feel like? How do they act as extensions of the characters’ emotional experiences?

Explore how the novel’s point of view creates narrative tension and enacts the novel’s themes. How do Wylie’s and Levi’s voices compare to one another? How do they differ? What insight do their individual narratives provide into the characters and their relationship?