Starfish

Analyze Fipps’s choice of the novel-in-verse genre. Why do you think she chose to write Ellie’s story in verse rather than prose? What does verse contribute to the reader’s experience of Ellie and her story?

The order of Ellie’s poems often intersperses memories and reflections with moments of action. How does this order reflect the connections between Ellie’s past experiences and her present conflicts?

Discuss Ellie’s revelation in Poem 95: “Pure Garbage” that Enemy Number 3 is both a bully and someone who is bullied. How does this explain Enemy Number 3’s treatment of Ellie? Does it justify his actions? Connect your analysis to one of the novel’s themes.

A common trope in children’s literature is the misunderstanding adult—adults who invalidate or otherwise obstruct the child protagonist’s journey. Who are the adults in Ellie’s life? What role do they play in the narrative? Are they a source of support and protection, or do they perpetuate the harm done to her?

Consider The Power of Words in the novel. How do the characters use their words? How is language both a tool of self-expression for characters like Ellie or Catalina, and a tool of attack for characters like Mom?

Consider Ellie’s use of figurative language. How does she use simile, metaphor, and imagery to convey emotional experiences? Do any of these literary devices change in meaning over the course of the novel?

Choose one of Ellie’s relationships and analyze its significance. What is the relationship’s role in influencing how Ellie feels about herself and her world? Connect your analysis to one of the novel’s themes.

At the beginning of the novel, Ellie lives according to self-imposed “Fat Girl Rules” and Mom’s food rules. How does Ellie use these rules to regulate her existence and “earn” others’ love? How do the rules make her feel safe, while at the same time enforcing a negative self-image?