You've Reached Sam

In what ways does Julie learn to be more accepting of unplanned circumstances, such as Sam’s death or her rejection from Reed College? How do you think the author developed Julie’s shift and her learning to face unexpected conflicts? Think about the personality traits Julie developed in her journey. You may also relate personal experiences, such as times you’ve dealt with the unexpected.

Yuki’s advice to Julie acts as a central idea of this text when she says, “Letting go isn’t about forgetting. It’s balancing moving forward with life, and looking back from time to time, remembering the people in it” (198). Do you agree or disagree with Yuki’s statement? Why or why not? If you have lost a loved one, cite personal examples along with textual evidence.

Imagine if this story were told from multiple points of view from Julie and Sam. How would Sam’s perspective differ from Julie’s? Choose one chapter from the novel and rewrite it from Sam’s point of view. You may also choose a minor character, such as Mika, James, Oliver, or Yuki, instead. How does your rewritten chapter change the voice, tone, plot, and characterization?

Analyze a character from the story and how he or she copes with the loss of Sam. Analyze how this character deals with Sam’s death and the type of conflicts they must face, such as person versus person or person versus self, and why they needed to experience this.

Which theme do you think is most important to this novel? Why? What literary devices, such as flashbacks, imagery, symbols, and internal thoughts, does Thao use to showcase this theme? Cite textual evidence to support your answer.

How does Julie‘s relationship with her family influence the events of the story? What about Sam’s family, including his cousin Mika, and their interactions with Julie?

What do you think allowed Julie and Sam to reconnect? Cite textual evidence to support your theories.

What do you think the repeated use of Sam‘s term “I missed you infinity” means and why? Think of the premise of the novel, his romance with Julie, and the interpretation of “infinity.” What could this saying mean in the larger context of the story?