Big Summer

How do Drue and Daphne act as foils of one another? What does their friendship reveal about women, friendship, and/or society?

What role, if any, does Nick play in Daphne’s journey to self-love?

Why does Weiner set her murder mystery in Cape Cod? What does this setting evoke and symbolize?

What is Weiner’s message about the importance of family in the development of someone’s psyche? Compare and contrast characters like Nick, Daphne, Leela, and Drue in your analysis.

Why does Weiner shift the tone and genre of her novel in Part 2? What effect does this structure have on the reader?

What role does Aditya play in this novel? How does his character raise tension, provide answers, and teach a lesson?

Analyze Daphne’s relationship with her body. How does she learn to hate her body, and what is her process to body positivity? What is Weiner’s message about body positivity?

Analyze Drue’s character as antagonist and martyr. How does her life before and after death reflect Weiner’s messages about human connection and understanding?