Summer Sisters

Summer Sisters brings together two people from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Many other novels follow this paradigm, including Curtis Sittenfeld’s Prep (2005) and Janelle Brown’s Pretty Things (2020). Compare and contrast Summer Sisters with one of these titles: How does money affect characters’ relationships?

Unpack Blume’s narration technique. Why does she depart from Vix and go into the minds of the other characters? How does it add to the story and counter stereotypes?

Blume names each of the book’s parts after a song. Listen to one of the songs and analyze it—explain how it reflects the themes, symbols, and motifs of Summer Sisters.

Analyze Vix’s decision to attend Caitlin and Bru’s wedding. Why does she attend? Does her decision fit with her characterization? Why or why not?

Try a queer reading of Summer Sisters and argue that Caitlin and Vix have a sexual attraction. What details support such a thesis? How does Bru become a part of their arguably queer relationship?

Judy Blume has been open about her frustrations as a young wife and mother. Read or watch some of her interviews and explain how her journey connects to the journeys of the women in the novel.

Discuss Blume’s novel in the context of the contemporary MeToo movement. How does it anticipate the prevalence of publicly exposing sexual predation? How does it reinforce or deviate from the norms MeToo has established?

For her Harvard application, Vix writes about how Caitlin is the most influential person in her life. In your words, explain how Caitlin impacts Vix. How did Caitlin help Vix and create a positive model for her?