Things We Never Got Over: Analytical Essay Prompts for Deeper Understanding

Use these twelve prompts to write focused literary analyses of Lucy Score’s Things We Never Got Over. Each prompt targets a specific element of the novel—character change, causality, relationships, contrasting scenes, themes, symbols, structure, foreshadowing, or the ending—and is grounded in traceable evidence from the book. Every prompt includes a defensible thesis direction and chapter or scene evidence leads to get you started.

1. Naomi’s Transformation from People‑Pleaser to Self‑Advocate

Why it matters: Tracking Naomi’s arc reveals how the novel defines agency and resilience. Her shift from accommodating others (her ex‑fiancé, her parents, even Knox) to setting firm boundaries is the emotional core of the story.

Sample thesis direction: Naomi stops “setting herself on fire for others” only after she realises that protecting Waylay requires her to stand up for herself first.

Evidence leads:

Chapter 14 (The Dinner Party): Naomi hosts the dinner to help Waylay make friends, but she is “warm, attentive, funny” to everyone except Knox—a performative act that hides her deeper anxiety.
Chapter 39 (Breaking Up, Down, and Through): After Knox ends things, Naomi confesses to Yolanda that she has been lying about the relationship, admitting “the truth is bigger than any intention.”
Chapter 41 (The New Naomi): Stef’s plan forces Naomi to fake a positive attitude, but she eventually rejects Knox’s money and declares her independence.
Chapter 44 (The Babysitters): Naomi emails Tina to offer a trade, breaks up with Knox by phone, and quits Honky Tonk—her first clear acts of self‑protection.

2. Knox’s Arc: From Fear of Vulnerability to Risky Love

Why it matters: Knox’s character change is the novel’s central romance arc. His refusal to commit is rooted in a family legacy of abandonment, and overcoming that fear is necessary for his happy ending.

Sample thesis direction: Knox learns that love is not a trap but a choice he must make daily, a lesson forced by Nash’s shooting and Naomi’s willingness to walk away.

Evidence leads:

Chapter 22 (One Hatchet Two Bullets): Knox confesses the feud with Nash started because Nash rejected Knox’s lottery money; Naomi points out they are “both idiots” for letting pride destroy their bond.
Chapter 33 (Lunch and a Warning): Nash warns Knox, “Don’t fuck it up like you usually do,” implying a pattern of self‑sabotage.
Chapter 40 (Breaking Up, Down, and Through): Knox ends the relationship by calling Naomi “too complicated,” but he is immediately miserable.
Chapter 45 (The Bar Fight): Knox reveals his father Duke’s addiction and his own terror of repeating that cycle; Naomi forgives him and says she already loves him.
Epilogue: Knox proposes and actively works to build a family, showing he has chosen vulnerability over fear.

Related characters: Knox Morgan, Nash Morgan

3. Causality: Tina’s Abandonment as the Catalyst for Naomi’s Growth

Why it matters: The novel’s plot is set in motion by Tina’s desertion of Waylay. Examining cause and effect shows how crisis forces Naomi to become the person she never knew she could be.

Sample thesis direction: Tina’s selfishness paradoxically gives Naomi the opportunity to break free from her own patterns of people‑pleasing and to build a genuine family.

Evidence leads:

Chapter 3 (A Pint‑Sized Criminal): Tina steals Naomi’s car and leaves Waylay; Naomi must decide to take care of her niece or walk away.
Chapter 4 (“You’re Not Staying Here.”): Nash explains kinship care law, legally binding Naomi to stay in Knockemout.
Chapter 42 (The New Naomi): Naomi admits to Waylay that she lied about the cottage being infested, a moment of honesty born from Tina’s chaos.
Chapter 46 (Tina Sucks): Tina handcuffs Naomi and delivers her to Duncan Hugo; the twin’s betrayal forces Naomi to become her own hero.
Epilogue: Tina signs over parental rights, freeing Naomi to adopt Waylay—a direct result of Tina’s final act of abandonment.

Related characters: Tina Witt, Waylay Witt

4. Building Trust: The Relationship Between Naomi and Knox

Why it matters: The central romance moves from mistaken‑identity hostility to deep partnership. Tracing the steps of trust shows how the novel defines a healthy relationship.

Sample thesis direction: Trust between Naomi and Knox is built not through grand gestures but through small, consistent acts of care—groceries, a phone, a ride to the mall—that accumulate until both characters feel safe enough to be vulnerable.

Evidence leads:

Chapter 2 (A Reluctant Hero): Knox mistakes Naomi for Tina and yells at her, yet still drives her to the motel—a contradictory start.
Chapter 15 (Knox Goes Shopping): Knox takes Naomi and Waylay school shopping, buys Naomi a new phone and underwear, and admits there is a man asking for her.
Chapter 23 (Knox Knox. Who’s There?): Their first sexual encounter is intense and emotionally charged; Knox says he “needs” her.
Chapter 33 (Lunch and a Warning): Knox surprises Naomi at the library with lunch; the scene shows his willingness to make time for her.
Chapter 49 (The Cavalry): Knox declares “I fucking love you” in the warehouse, a moment earned by his protective actions.

Related themes: Trust vs. Fear

5. Contrasting Scenes: The Dinner Party vs. the Hospital Reunion

Why it matters: Juxtaposing these two scenes highlights Knox’s emotional shift from aloof indifference to raw vulnerability, a key turning point in his arc.

Sample thesis direction: The dinner party—where Knox feels “relegated to Ice Town”—and the hospital—where he kisses Naomi and thanks her—demonstrate that crisis forces Knox to drop his defences and embrace connection.

Evidence leads:

Chapter 14 (The Dinner Party): Knox observes Naomi being warm to everyone but him; he follows her inside and they argue about his harsh words. He is excluded from the emotional centre of the group.
Chapter 21 (Family Emergency): Nash is shot. Knox breaks down at the hospital, confesses the lottery feud, and tells Naomi, “If this is your way of cheering me up … you suck at it.” He then kisses her before going to see Nash.
Chapter 22 (One Hatchet Two Bullets): Knox reflects on Naomi’s insight that the feud was about a woman, not cash, and hugs Lucian—a rare embrace that signals change.

Related characters: Nash Morgan, Liza J Persimmon

6. Found Family vs. Biological Family: Liza’s Kitchen as a Home

Why it matters: The novel contrasts dysfunctional blood relations (Tina, Naomi’s parents’ expectations) with the warmth of chosen family (Liza, Stef, the Morgan brothers). This is a central theme.

Sample thesis direction: The novel argues that found family provides more stable love than biological ties, as demonstrated by Liza’s house becoming a gathering place where wounds are healed through shared meals and support.

Evidence leads:

Chapter 7 (A Punch in the Face): Liza invites Naomi and Waylay to dinner, setting the foundation for a new community.
Chapter 8 (The Mysterious Liza J): Liza offers the cottage rent‑free in exchange for housework, and the dinner reveals the Morgan family rivalry.
Chapter 14 (The Dinner Party): Naomi organises the potluck to help Waylay make friends; the evening includes Sloane, Chloe, Justice, Tallulah, and Nash.
Chapter 42 (The New Naomi): Naomi reflects that “together, we’d breathed life back into the space” and that the house now has “more surrounding those holes.”
Epilogue: Liza moves to the cottage so the family can have the main house; Knox proposes in front of everyone.

Related themes: Found Family, Small‑Town Community

7. The Wedding Dress as a Symbol of Letting Go

Why it matters: The wedding dress recurs throughout the novel as a physical object that represents Naomi’s past failure and her subsequent rebirth.

Sample thesis direction: Selling the custom‑made wedding dress for $400 allows Naomi to reinvest in Waylay’s future, turning a symbol of shame into a tool for building a new life.

Evidence leads:

Chapter 3 (A Pint‑Sized Criminal): Waylay asks about the wedding dress in the corner, forcing Naomi to acknowledge her runaway‑bride status.
Chapter 15 (Knox Goes Shopping): Naomi sells the dress at Pack Rats to fund back‑to‑school shopping; the act is practical and symbolic.
Chapter 18 (Makeovers for Everyone): Naomi cuts the long hair she grew for her wedding, renouncing her old identity.
Chapter 41 (The New Naomi): Stef’s makeover plan helps Naomi create a “New Naomi” free from the dress’s shadow.

Related characters: Naomi Witt

8. Structure: The Opening Full‑Page Image as a Non‑Verbal Prelude

Why it matters: Chapter 1 is entirely visual—a bold structural choice that sets a tone and primes the reader for themes of appearance and reality.

Sample thesis direction: The image‑only chapter functions as a visual thesis, warning the reader that things are not as they seem and that mistaken identity (symbolised by the identical twins) will drive the plot.

Evidence leads:

Chapter 1 (Full Page Image): No narrative text; the image is the entire chapter. Its specific content is not described, but the choice itself contrasts with the text‑heavy chapters that follow.
Chapter 2 (Worst. Day. Ever): Knox mistakes Naomi for Tina based solely on appearance, echoing the visual confusion of the opening.
Chapter 3 (A Pint‑Sized Criminal): The ransacked motel room and the lipstick message “Sucker” again foreground visual signs.
Later, the “ol’ switcheroo” (Chapter 48) relies on the twins’ identical looks to fool Duncan.

Related concepts: Visual storytelling, chapter structure

9. Foreshadowing: The Red‑Haired Man “Flint” Becomes Duncan Hugo

Why it matters: A seemingly minor character introduced in Chapter 31 returns as a major antagonist. Tracking this reveals how the novel plants clues about the criminal threat.

Sample thesis direction: Flint’s unsettling appearance at the library and Honky Tonk foreshadows the organised crime plot and underscores Naomi’s need to trust her instincts about danger.

Evidence leads:

Chapter 31 (Shifty in the Stacks): Flint asks for tech support at the library; Naomi notes his “intense gaze” and lack of wedding ring, feeling unsettled.
Chapter 34 (The Groom): Naomi spots the red‑haired patron at Honky Tonk right before Warner’s arrival.
Chapter 46 (Tina Sucks): The red‑haired man is revealed as Duncan Hugo, the crime lord Son who has kidnapped Waylay.
Chapter 49 (The Cavalry): Knox and Nash rescue the hostages; Duncan is defeated.

Related themes: Trust vs. Fear, Small‑Town Secrets

10. The Ending: Epilogue as Fulfillment of Community and Commitment

Why it matters: The epilogue resolves every major conflict, emphasising that a happy ending requires both personal change and communal support.

Sample thesis direction: The epilogue’s obstacle course, petting zoo, and proposal scenes show that love is not a solo achievement but a collective effort made possible by the Knockemout community.

Evidence leads:

Epilogue: Knox plans Waylay’s 12th birthday with an obstacle course and petting zoo, surrounded by friends and family.
Knox proposes in front of the crowd, and Naomi’s parents decide to move to town.
Tina signs over parental rights, allowing Naomi to become Waylay’s permanent guardian.
Liza moves to the cottage, giving the main house to the family.
The author’s note (Chapter 52) reinforces the theme: “the bravery of loving despite knowing love’s end.”

Related themes: Found Family, Redemption and Second Chances

11. The Flash Drive (Heart Charm) as a Symbol of Loyalty and Agency

Why it matters: Waylay’s hidden flash drive becomes the MacGuffin that drives the climax; it also represents her developing trust in Knox and her own power.

Sample thesis direction: Waylay’s decision to hide the flash drive and later upload its contents shows her transition from a passive victim of Tina’s schemes to an active protector of her new family.

Evidence leads:

Chapter 49 (The Cavalry): Waylay confesses she hid the heart‑shaped flash drive and uploaded its contents to the library server.
Chapter 46 (Tina Sucks): Duncan Hugo threatens to shoot Naomi if Waylay does not reveal the flash drive’s location; Waylay uses the “ol’ switcheroo” to help her mother.
The flash drive contains evidence of Duncan’s crimes; Waylay’s technical skills (fixing Chloe’s laptop in Chapter 14) foreshadow her role.
After the rescue, Nash takes the charm, and Waylay says Knox’s name was on the list—proving her loyalty.

Related characters: Waylay Witt

12. Stef as Catalyst: Friendship as the Engine of Naomi’s Resilience

Why it matters: Stef’s role goes beyond comic relief; he is the person who pushes Naomi to stop wallowing and take control. The novel suggests that friendship can be just as transformative as romantic love.

Sample thesis direction: Stef’s pep talks, the “New Naomi” plan, and his unwavering support enable Naomi to rebuild herself after Knox’s rejection, demonstrating that chosen family provides the emotional scaffolding for personal change.

Evidence leads:

Chapter 16 (The Infamous Stef): Stef arrives and warns Knox; later, he and Stef discuss Naomi’s runaway‑bride secret.
Chapter 40 (Breaking Up, Down, and Through): Stef tells Naomi, “If that man isn’t smart enough … it’s his loss,” and promises to help her move on.
Chapter 41 (The New Naomi): Stef sends a detailed ten‑step “New Naomi” plan that includes getting out of bed, showering, and faking a positive attitude.
Chapter 50 (The Cavalry): Stef is part of the rescue team and confirms he will “destroy your life” if Knox hurts Naomi.

Related themes: Found Family, Identity and Self‑Worth

Explore further: Full Summary and Analysis, Questions and Answers, Character Studies.