I Know What You Did Last Summer

How do family relationships inform each character’s reaction to the trauma of the car accident and the trauma of Barry’s shooting?

The four teens—Barry, Helen, Ray, and Julie—can be thought of as two pairs of foils. Organize them into pairs and describe how their different characteristics set them apart and impair communication and trust.

Unlike in the film, no one except the child dies in the novel I Know What You Did Last Summer. How do Bud’s threats to the teens create terror without violence and gore? Strengthen your response with reference to the text.