Same As It Ever Was: A Novel

Compare and contrast Anita, Julia, and Alma. What are their common characteristics? Explore how they influence each other, using textual evidence.

Julia grew up in a poor, working-class household. How does this background impact the text’s portrayal of upper-middle-class suburban life and class mobility?

Using textual evidence, explain Julia’s motivations for pursuing an affair with Nathaniel. How do her motivations link to the text’s exploration of morally gray behavior?

How would the novel differ if it were written from third-person omniscient point of view or first-person point of view instead of third-person limited point of view? How would this change the perception of Julia and her family?

How does humor throughout Same as It Ever Was help evoke empathy? What characterizes Julia’s use of humor? What is the effect of these humorous moments? Use textual evidence to illustrate.

Compare and contrast the narration of Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf and the narration of Same as It Ever Was. What do they say about women’s interior lives?

How does the character of Julia Ames challenge the stereotypes of suburban motherhood? Use textual evidence in addressing this topic.

Mark Ames suddenly dies two years after Ben’s wedding. Why might author Claire Lombardo have made this plot choice? How does it contribute to Julia’s character development?