61 pages • 2 hours read
Elle KennedyThe Deal
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2015A 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
The novel alternates between the first-person perspectives of Garrett and Hannah. How does this stylistic choice contribute to the novel’s emotional depth and complexity? How would the story change if it were told only through one love interest’s point of view?
Although Kennedy delivers the requisite “happily-ever-after” conclusion, both Garrett and Hannah’s abusers remain largely unpunished. How does this bittersweet ending contribute to the authenticity of the novel and to the author’s focus on The Systemic Issues Surrounding Abuse?
How does humor and banter between the protagonists help to reveal their traits and develop their relationship? Be sure to discuss at least three concrete examples in your response.
Choose one of the several common romance tropes that Kennedy employs. How does the author both adhere to and revolutionize this trope in order to develop the romance between Garrett and Hannah?
How does Justin serve as a foil for Garrett, and why is he a mismatch for Hannah?
Does Allie prevent Hannah from moving forward in her trauma recovery, or is she giving Hannah the space and time she needs to recover in a different way? Support your interpretation with specific examples from the text.
How do Garrett’s and Hannah’s individual experiences with past trauma prompt them to relate to each other on a deeper level?
Explain the significance of the violent confrontation between Garrett and Rob, the man from Hannah’s past. How does this incident create an entirely new perception of Garrett’s character?
How does Cindy’s brief presence in the novel shed new light on Garrett’s past?
What early signs of foreshadowing does Kennedy employ to indicate that Garrett’s action-packed focus on hockey is built upon very dark chapters in his personal history?
