A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

Pip struggles throughout the narrative to write her college application personal essay. When faced with the task of writing about who she really is, Pip cannot articulate who she is, admitting she is still searching for herself. The essay becomes increasingly stressful for Pip as the application deadline looms. Reflect upon Pip's college admission essay as a symbol/motif in A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. What could Pip's essay ultimately be a product of? What does her essay represent?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt asks students to consider the parallels among Pip's self-discovery, her investigation of a crime, and her ability to articulate who she is. It may be helpful to point out to students that the prompt is asking about how Pip's moral, intellectual, and emotional growth is reflected in the final product of her college application essay. Students can respond in writing or through class discussion. If you choose to have students respond aloud, consider providing adequate time for them to gather evidence for a richer discussion. If you wish to offer students additional resources on symbolism and motif in literature, direct them to Symbolism on SuperSummary or Literary Analysis on SuperSummary for general guidance.