That Summer Essay Prompts: Analytical Writing Topics for Jennifer Weiner's Novel

How to Use These Prompts 12 analytical essay prompts, each tied to a specific element of That Summer: character change, causality, relationships, contrasting scenes, themes, symbols, structure, foreshadowing, and the ending. For each prompt you'll find why it matters, a defensible sample thesis direction, and 3–5 evidence leads drawn from the novel's chapters. Use the main book page for plot grounding, the questions and answers page for quick reference, and the theme pages for deeper analysis. --- ## 1. The Name Mix-Up as a Doorway to Identity Why it matters: The novel opens with a mistaken-email coincidence that brings Daisy and Diana together, but names do far more than drive the plot. Daisy's real name is Diana, Hal renames her, and Diana Scalzi adopts multiple aliases. Tracing who names whom reveals how identity is imposed, stolen, and reclaimed. Sample thesis direction: The novel uses naming as a form of control: Hal's renaming of his wife as Daisy and Diana's use of false names both demonstrate how identity can be weaponized, while Diana's eventual return to her own name marks her recovery. Evidence leads: - Chapter 29: Hal asks to call Daisy by a different name on their first date, and she offers her grandmother's nickname. - Chapter 5: Diana removes her