56 pages • 1 hour read
Francesca ZappiaEliza and Her Monsters
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2017A 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
Analyze how Eliza grows from the novel’s beginning to ending. What experiences and lessons change Eliza by the conclusion? How does she put these lessons into action? Support your answer with textual evidence.
Analyze a symbol, motif, or theme not described in this guide. If a symbol, what does it represent and why? If a theme, how is it presented, and what is the meaning of this? Use evidence from the book to support your answer.
Discuss the theme of communication (or lack thereof). How do characters struggle to communicate with each other, both online and offline? What are the consequences of miscommunication and silence, and how do characters navigate these obstacles? Support your answer with textual evidence.
Examine the role of hybrid content. For instance, how does the inclusion of content like text messages, emails, Eliza’s drawings, and excerpts from Monstrous Sea contribute to the overall narrative? Why do you believe Francesca Zappia decided to include various types of content? Support your answer with textual evidence.
Analyze a character not highlighted in this guide, such as Church. Describe his/her characterization, growth, and role in the book.
Explore the role of family dynamics. How do Eliza’s relationships with her parents and siblings influence her sense of self and her choices? How do family expectations and conflicts create tension? Support your answer with textual evidence.
The therapist tells Eliza, “Worth as a person is not based on any tangible evidence. There’s no test for it, no scale. Everyone’s got their own idea of what it is” (337). What do you think this quote means and why? What is your idea of worth and why? Cite textual evidence to support your answer.
Why do you think the author titled the book Eliza and Her Monsters? What do “monsters” represent in the context of the story? How do different characters face their monsters? Support your answer with textual evidence.
By the conclusion, what lessons do Eliza and Wallace learn about themselves, their relationships, and their passions? How do these lessons connect to major themes? Support your answer with textual evidence.
Given the book’s ending, do you think Eliza will continue to be an artist? Why or why not? If so, what do you think she will create and why? If not, how do you picture her future? Support your answer with textual evidence.
