How does grounding the novel’s fictional climax in the documented 2016 North Miami police shooting amplify its exploration of systemic violence and the misperception of disability?

How should readers interpret Dave’s role in the novel? Using his perspective chapter and his actions, argue whether he’s best understood as a malicious individual or as a symbol of the larger institutional failures that stifle the potential of individuals with disabilities.

Trace the symbolic journey of the Mr. Potato Head toy throughout the narrative. How does its meaning evolve from a personal comfort object for Jorge to its role in the story’s tragic climax, and what does its misinterpretation reveal about the novel’s portrayal of disability?

Walter’s use of echolalia, such as the phrase, “Thomas has left the station” (3), is a key communicative device. Analyze how the novel portrays scripting and its role in the novel’s exploration of communication, identity, and intelligence.

Compare and contrast the experiences of Tom and Walter. How do their parallel but distinct struggles for voice and agency, one through methodical blinking and the other through the letter board, contribute to the novel’s exploration of intelligence, communication, and independence?

Discuss how the physical setting of the Upward Bound center functions as more than a backdrop, representing both institutional confinement and possibilities for connection, resistance, and change.

How does Ann’s transformation from a fearful observer into a more empathetic caregiver challenge common assumptions about disability?

How does Walter’s transformation into a writer function as a persuasive argument for the principle of assuming intelligence?