Fangirl

Each chapter ends with an excerpt from either a canon Simon Snow book or one of Cath’s Simon Snow fanfictions. What is the function of these excerpts? How do they complement the main narrative?

Write an essay about how Cath’s relationship with her fanfiction changes through the course of the novel. What changes about the role of fandom in Cath’s life, and what do those changes suggest about what the novel sees as the ideal relationship between fandom communities and real-life communities and/or fanfiction and original fiction?

Write a compare and contrast essay about the ways Cath and Wren navigate Coming of Age and Exploring Identity. What are the similarities and differences between how they conduct themselves, and why, as they enter college? What does each girl’s approach reveal about the nature of the traumas they have experienced?

Several pivotal scenes in Fangirl take place in hospitals. Write an essay in which you explore the way hospitals are portrayed in the novel. What do hospitals signify to Cath? How do those spaces shape her responses to events and people?

Though she only appears in one scene, Cath’s mother plays a central role in Cath’s life. Analyze the role of mothers in the novel. How does Cath’s relationship with her mother shape her relationships with other women? Are there other mother figures present in the novel, and what role do they play in Cath’s life?

What do Cath’s and Wren’s contrasting responses to their parents’ neglect and abandonment reveal about the nature of childhood trauma? What do they reveal about the nature of healing from trauma?

Simon and Baz’s relationship is parallel to Cath and Levi’s relationship in both the novel and Cath’s mind. How do Cath’s fandom experiences shape the way she navigates her real-life relationship? What does that suggest about the kinds of roles fanfiction can play in a person’s life?

Cath writes Simon Snow fanfiction because she identifies with the series’ themes, tropes, characters, and storylines. Write an essay about a media property (books, television, film, video games, etc.) that has themes, characters, or messages that are important to you. What about this media resonates with you? What function does it play in your life? If you were to write fanfiction for this media, what characters, themes, genres, and plots would you highlight, and why?