46 pages • 1 hour read
Helen OyeyemiThe Icarus Girl
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2005A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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Do you think TillyTilly is real or a figment of Jess’s imagination? What do you think TillyTilly is meant to represent?
What are the different spiritual or religious beliefs held by various characters throughout the text? How are their identities shaped by these beliefs and practices?
What are the different names used to refer to Jess throughout the text? What does each name represent about Jess’s identity?
Jess’s parents often disagree about how to discipline Jess. What methods do they use to discipline Jess, and which ones are the most effective?
What does the long-armed woman represent?
Compare and contrast Jess’s friendships with different girls her age, such as Colleen, Dulcie, Siobhan, and TillyTilly. What does each friendship mean to Jess?
Compare and contrast Jess’s experiences in Nigeria to those in England. What is different for Jess between the first and second time she visits Nigeria?
What do you think Jess’s mother means when she says Jess lives in three worlds? Are there any examples of these other worlds in the text?
What does the title The Icarus Girl mean? Why do you think Oyeyemi chose this title? How could this title be used to describe Jess?
The novel ends with an excerpt from a Yoruba poem titled “Praise of the Leopard.” How do you interpret this poem? Why did Oyeyemi choose to include it at the end of the novel, and how does it connect back to the novel?
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By Helen Oyeyemi
