See You Yesterday Quiz: 20 Questions on Plot, Characters, and Themes
Test your knowledge of Rachel Lynn Solomon's See You Yesterday with this 20-question quiz covering plot, characters, themes, and big-picture ideas. Each question is grounded in the events and details of the novel, so you can check your understanding of Barrett and Miles's time-loop journey. The complete answer key with explanations appears after the questions. Good luck!
See You Yesterday Quiz: 20 Questions on Plot, Characters, and Themes
Plot and Sequence Questions
1. What date does Barrett find herself repeating when she wakes up in Chapter 5?
A) September 20
B) September 21
C) September 22
D) October 1
2. How many days has Miles been stuck in the time loop when he first tells Barrett?
A) 3 days
B) 61 days
C) 66 days
D) 100 days
3. What does Barrett do in Chapter 11 to try to break the loop?
A) Donates blood
B) Adopts a dog
C) Gives away ice cream
D) Gets a tattoo
4. Who is Dr. Ella Devereux?
(Short answer)
5. What object leads Barrett to realize that Olmsted is the connection point between parallel universes?
A) A missing sock
B) A mozzarella stick
C) A yellow rose
D) A Tiki torch
6. What does Miles do when they are in the elevator descending to the subbasement?
A) He confesses his love
B) He pulls the emergency brake
C) He presses the button again
D) He falls asleep
7. After the loop ends, what items does Barrett bring to Physics 101 to jog Miles's memory?
A) A cookie, a bagel, and mozzarella sticks
B) A coffee, a donut, and a sandwich
C) A cupcake, a croissant, and a pizza slice
D) A muffin, a pretzel, and a hot dog
8. What does Annabel Costa offer Barrett after she submits the profile of Dr. Devereux?
A) A full-time job
B) A trial assignment covering student-government budget
C) An internship at the Washingtonian
D) A recommendation letter
Character Motivation Questions
9. Why does Barrett initially decide to switch out of Physics 101?
(Short answer)
10. Why does Miles keep his brother Max's rehab a secret from Barrett?
(Short answer)
11. Why does Barrett seek revenge on Cole Walker?
(Short answer)
12. Why does Lucie apologize to Barrett?
(Short answer)
13. Why does Miles initially refuse to leave the time loop?
(Short answer)
Theme and Symbol Questions
14. What does the epigraph from Nena suggest about the novel's central theme?
A) That time is cyclical
B) That belonging transcends time and place
C) That love is fleeting
D) That physics explains everything
15. In the novel, what does the repeated reference to the movie Groundhog Day symbolize?
A) The idea that self-improvement can break a curse
B) The importance of watching classic films
C) The inevitability of fate
D) The power of friendship
16. What does the Olmsted dorm building represent in the story?
A) A place of learning
B) A connection point between parallel universes
C) A symbol of Barrett's isolation
D) A reminder of her past
17. What does the vanishing tattoo symbolize?
A) The impermanence of the time loop
B) Barrett's changing identity
C) The power of memory
D) The futility of rebellion
Synthesis Questions
18. How does the novel blend scientific and magical explanations for the time loop?
(Short answer)
19. What does Barrett's journey from wanting to escape the loop to accepting it teach about personal growth?
(Short answer)
20. How does the relationship between Barrett and Miles evolve, and what does it say about connection?
(Short answer)
Answer Key
1. B) September 21
Barrett wakes up on September 21 in Chapter 5, realizing it is the same day she experienced in Chapter 1. The loop resets to this date repeatedly.
2. B) 61 days
In Chapter 9, Miles reveals he has been repeating September 21 for sixty-one days, while Barrett has only experienced three.
3. A) Donates blood
In Chapter 11, Barrett decides to become a good person and donates blood at UWMC, hoping the selfless act will break the loop. She faints during the draw.
4. Dr. Ella Devereux is a former UW professor who taught a course called “Time Travel for Beginners” and left the university without a trace.
Barrett and Miles discover her through a horticulture professor's comment and later find her address in archived articles.
5. A) A missing sock
In Chapter 37, Lucie finds a single blue sock in the eighth-floor laundry room. Barrett recognizes it as the mate to her own sock, and this anomaly—along with other inconsistencies—leads her to conclude that Olmsted is the connection point between parallel universes.
6. B) He pulls the emergency brake
In Chapter 38, as the elevator descends to the subbasement, Miles admits he does not want to leave and yanks the emergency brake, halting their escape attempt.
7. A) A cookie, a bagel, and mozzarella sticks
In Chapter 41, Barrett brings these snacks to Physics 101 to trigger Miles's memory. The mozzarella sticks are a recurring motif from their time together.
8. B) A trial assignment covering student-government budget
After Barrett submits her profile of Dr. Devereux, Annabel approves it and offers her a trial assignment; if she succeeds, she gets the job.
9. Barrett initially wants to switch out of Physics 101 because of her hostile interaction with Miles, who humiliates her when she gives an incorrect answer in class.
She feels embarrassed and decides to avoid the course rather than face him again.
10. Miles keeps Max's rehab a secret because he feels guilt and pressure about his brother's recovery, and he has been overachieving academically to avoid worrying his parents.
He reveals this to Barrett in Chapter 27 after picking up Max from rehab.
11. Barrett seeks revenge on Cole Walker because he harassed her after prom with flowers and a cruel hashtag following their sexual encounter, which traumatized her.
In Chapter 31, she confronts him and tells him how he made her feel, though he dismisses her.
12. Lucie apologizes because she reveals that she tried to stop Cole and others from harassing Barrett after prom, and she regrets not doing more.
This confession happens in Chapter 25 during their trip to Elsewhere.
13. Miles initially refuses to leave the time loop because he is afraid of the unknown, worried about his brother relapsing, and fears losing the relationship he has with Barrett.
In Chapter 39, he admits these fears before they press the elevator button together.
14. B) That belonging transcends time and place
The epigraph from Nena states that when two people belong to one another, that belonging holds in any place and at any time—a theme that resonates throughout the novel as Barrett and Miles find connection despite being trapped in a loop.
15. A) The idea that self-improvement can break a curse
Barrett and Miles discuss the Groundhog Day theory that becoming better people might break the loop, though they eventually discover the solution is more complex.
16. B) A connection point between parallel universes
Barrett deduces that Olmsted is the place where parallel universes touch, based on anomalies like the missing sock and lingering pain.
17. A) The impermanence of the time loop
The tattoo Barrett gets disappears when the day resets, showing that physical changes do not persist across loops—only memories and emotional growth do.
18. The novel blends scientific and magical explanations by presenting Dr. Devereux's many-worlds interpretation and connection-point theory alongside Barrett's belief in the universe's intervention or magic.
Miles eventually concedes that “maybe science is a little magical,” suggesting that both perspectives can coexist.
19. Barrett's journey teaches that personal growth comes from confronting past trauma, building meaningful relationships, and learning to live in the moment.
She realizes that escaping the loop isn't about fixing everything but about becoming a person who can move forward, as shown by her decision to seek counseling and reconcile with her mother.
20. Barrett and Miles evolve from antagonistic strangers to reluctant partners, then friends, and finally lovers.
Their relationship demonstrates that deep connection can form even in absurd circumstances, and that vulnerability, trust, and mutual support are essential for growth and healing.
Want to dive deeper? Check out the book overview or explore common questions and answers and the ending explained.