67 pages • 2 hours read
Saving 6
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Essay Topics
How does Saving 6 depict the way socioeconomic status affects the power dynamics between characters? Analyze how different lived experiences due to class shape interactions, conflicts, or hierarchies in the novel. Using evidence from the text, how does the author use symbolism, dialogue, and setting to underscore the impact of these differences?
Analyze how Walsh portrays masculinity in the novel. How do different characters (e.g., Joey, Teddy, Tony, and Paul) navigate dominant societal expectations of manhood? How do the characters struggle with, conform to, and subvert these expectations? Using textual evidence, examine how the text both critiques and reinforces traditional notions of masculinity.
How does the setting of the novel—both physical and social—influence the protagonist’s journey? Discuss how different environments shape Joey’s values, actions, and relationships. How does the author use particular settings (e.g., Joey’s house, Aoife’s house, school, Tony’s mechanic shop, and the hurling pitch) to develop his character arc? Consider how these settings improve or exacerbate Joey’s internal and external struggles, citing examples from the text in your response.
Examine the role of secondary characters in the text. Choose one secondary character and analyze their contribution to Joey’s emotional journey, maturation, and character development. How does this character mirror or contrast the protagonist’s values? How do their actions help develop the novel’s thematic explorations and Joey’s arc?
Analyze the role of open communication (or lack thereof) in Saving 6. How does the way the characters communicate (or fail to communicate) impact their relationships and plot development? Identify specific moments where misunderstandings or silences play a critical role in developing characterization, conflict, or the novel’s themes.
What role does dramatic irony play in the novel? Identify three instances of dramatic irony not analyzed in this guide. Discuss how these moments impact the tone, develop a conflict, or convey a theme.
Analyze Marie’s character in the text. Using textual evidence, how is she a sympathetic character? How is she antagonistic? How would the narrative be different if she was a first-person point-of-view character?
Analyze the novel’s depiction of vulnerability and strength. Use specific examples from the text to highlight how moments of vulnerability lead to strength and how traditional expectations of what strength should look like prevent vulnerability. How does this connect to The Importance of Love and Support?
Given the novel’s subject matter, its overall tone is bleak. However, there are also moments where the tone shifts to one that is humorous, hopeful, and/or optimistic. Identify three specific points in the text where the tone changes. What specific literary devices does Walsh use to convey this tonal shift?
Read Chloe Walsh’s Binding 13. Compare and contrast the characters of Joey and Johnny. What role do sports play in their lives? How do their socioeconomic backgrounds impact them? Identify one theme that their characters convey, discussing the ways each novel handles the theme similarly and differently.
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