40 pages • 1 hour read
Christine Pride, Jo PiazzaWe Are Not Like Them
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2021A 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
Who do you think the “we” and “them” are in the title? What does the title tell us about the novel’s thematic intentions?
Riley often mentions her brother, Shaun, and her ex-boyfriend, Corey, in passing, but we don’t learn what happened with them until later in the story. Why do you think the authors don’t reveal what happened earlier? Is the decision tied to Riley’s character development?
What does the alternating perspective of Riley and Jenny tell us about their relationship and their experiences outside their interaction with each other?
Why do you think the authors chose to open and close the novel with third-person perspectives outside of Jenny and Riley?
Besides Justin’s death and his mother’s grief, what do we know about them? Would you consider them to be round or flat characters? Why?
The alternating perspectives allow the reader to empathize with Riley and Jenny. Are you sympathetic to any other characters? Why or why not?
Do you think that this novel will be as impactful in the future, without the cultural context when it was published in 2021?
How do the authors use irony in this novel? Do you think it is successful?
What role does class play in Jenny and Riley’s relationship? Is it ever addressed?
Do you think there is any kind of resolution in the ending? Is hope a resolution? Is justice?
