59 pages • 1 hour read
David EllisLook Closer
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2022A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Both Vicky and Simon are devoted to their chosen careers and find their work to be more vocation than mere employment. What do their chosen professions say about them as characters?
Ellis uses multiple narrators and the written diary throughout the novel. How does this structure contribute to the meaning of the text?
Explain the thematic significance of the title Look Closer. How does the title reflect the novel’s message and overarching themes?
Though they never appear in the present, Simon’s parents play a huge role in the novel and in his development as a character. Give an example of a moment where one (or both) of his parents play a significant role. Discuss this example and the impact it has on Simon and the novel as a whole.
Vicky and Simon both struggle to trust other people due to their past experiences. Why are they able to trust one another and have a loving, if flawed, partnership?
How does Simon square his love for the law with his revenge plot? How is his approach to justice different from Vicky’s?
Given the novel’s emphasis on the unreliability of appearances, why might Ellis have chosen to set the story during Halloween?
Look Closer is classified as a legal thriller. How does Ellis use classic tropes of the mystery and thriller genres? How does he subvert readers’ expectations of those genres?
Several of the characters in the novel are foils for one another. Choose one foil pair and discuss what the characters reveal about one another.
Chicago and the surrounding suburbs are described in vivid detail throughout the novel. How does the novel’s setting contribute to its plot and themes?
