Throughout the novel, the themes of The Cyclical Nature of Domestic Abuse and The Necessity of Support are interwoven throughout Lily’s relationships and in connection with Lily’s past. How does the novel portray the interconnectedness of these themes through the various relationships, narrative letter structure, and personal trauma?

Teaching Suggestion: Readers might begin by categorizing the key plot points by theme and identifying which plot points help to develop both themes. Another approach to the question might involve creating a digital “wordcloud” of character emotions and reactions  to see which ideas appear the most, then address the question with regard to different characters’ repeating reactions or emotional intensity.

Differentiation Suggestion: For a more visual/spatial approach, readers can note key events and character reactions on a paper-based or computer-generated plot diagram, then label each with the predominant theme before responding to the prompt in writing or discussion.

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Parallels in a Poem”

In this activity, readers will analyze and annotate the poem “Domestic Violence” by Eavan Boland, taking into account the key plot points, indirect characterization, and themes of It Ends with Us.