My Dark Vanessa

Though Vanessa’s relationship with her mother is clear, her relationship with her father is only suggested. How does the absence of a defined relationship between Vanessa and her father impact your understanding of Vanessa’s character?

Healthy adolescent development allows for peer relationships to be the focus of a teenager’s life. How do Vanessa’s relationships with her peers contribute to her sense of alienation? Select at least two characters and provide an analysis of their roles in the novel to support your argument.

Consider your personal response to Vanessa. Do you feel empathy for Vanessa? Impatience toward her? Both? Explore how your reactions to her character might shed light on how other characters in the novel experience her.

Analyze the graphic nature of the sex scenes in the novel. What is the purpose of the sex scenes and how do they impact the reader’s experience?

Select one of the works of literature that Strane gives Vanessa and analyze it from both of their points of view. Explain why Strane might believe that the work of literature can help him grow closer to Vanessa and explain why the work might influence Vanessa to grow closer to Strane.

When Vanessa and her parents drive home from spending Thanksgiving with Vanessa’s grandparents, she notices her father enjoying a song on the radio called “My Sharona.” Vanesa observes that the lyrics contain references to sex with underage girls. Why is this meaningful to Vanessa and why should it be meaningful to readers of the novel? Look up the song lyrics and support your response with evidence from the song and the novel.

In your opinion, should Vanessa have given the journalist the interview she wanted? Why or why not?

Trace the history of social media and analyze the role of social media in the novel, starting with AOL Instant Messenger. Why does social media play such a significant role in both Vanessa’s and Taylor Birch’s story?