Pack Up the Moon

What effect do the dual timelines have on the narrative? How do these opposing timelines impact the reader’s understanding of Josh and Lauren as individuals and their relationship?

Why doesn’t Lauren confess her fears about dying in her letters to Josh? Could this be interpreted as dishonest? Use evidence from the text to develop your argument.

Why do you think Lauren wishes to be buried in a bamboo urn and grow into a tree? Does her urn and final resting place reflect her character as it is developed in the novel? Use evidence from the text in your response.

How do Lauren’s attitudes toward her illness and her relationship with Josh evolve over time? How closely are the two connected?

Trace Josh’s character development over the course of the novel. How does he change emotionally and personally from Lauren’s death to 17 months later?

Discuss the impact of Lauren’s belief in the Great Beyond on both her character and the narrative. How does it influence the way she faces her illness and death?

In what ways does Higgins vary her prose when writing from Lauren’s perspective and from Josh’s? Specifically, how do Lauren’s thoughts in her letters compare with Josh’s thoughts in flashbacks, and how do the stylistic differences contribute to the emotional impact of the story?

Does Josh and Lauren’s love itself evolve as her illness progresses? Use evidence from the text to develop your argument.