Only If You're Lucky

Margot and Lucy become friends quickly, much as Margot and Eliza did. Margot implies that women simply bond fast, but what evidence in the text shows the unnatural elements of Margot’s friendships? Use textual evidence to show how Eliza and Lucy both derive a specific use from Margot.

Sloane and Nicole have a similar dynamic to Margot and Lucy and to Margot and Eliza. Why are these friendships unbalanced, with one person having more agency than the other? What evidence shows that these imbalances may not be as severe as they first appear?

Consider the women’s house and its location near the Kappa Nu fraternity house. How does the shed convey the dynamic between the two houses? Some characters note how Kappa Nu is breaking a rule by renting out the house to Margot and her friends. Why would they break this rule? Why does Lucy want to live in that house, specifically, and how does this decision impact the novel’s events? Use textual evidence to explore these questions.

Why doesn’t Willingham give Margot a last name? Why are her parents also nameless, and how does this omission inform the novel’s portrayal of identity and self?

Lucy desires to become Eliza through her relationships with Margot, Levi, and, implicitly, Mr. Jefferson. Using textual evidence, describe Lucy’s approach to this objective. What are the flaws in her plan? What critical elements of identity does Lucy fail to achieve?

Although Trevor is ultimately charged with Levi’s death, he isn’t charged with sexually assaulting Nicole. How does the threat of sexual violence affect the women in the novel? Do any of the women seem unbothered by this threat? Why are Sloane, Nicole, and Margot ultimately happy with how Kappa Nu, Trevor, and Levi are punished?

How does Levi’s character change over the course of the novel from Margot’s perspective? Consider whether her initial skepticism of Levi was justifiable, how Levi was operating in Eliza’s best interests, and how his refusal to interrupt Trevor’s assault on Nicole contributes to his character. Use textual evidence in examining these questions.

Given Lucy’s views on morality and her panic in the moments before her death, is it likely that she would have turned Nicole in? Had the friends not killed Lucy, would she have helped them evade arrest, or would she have betrayed Nicole to protect herself? Use evidence from the text surrounding Lucy’s prior experiences with death and rumors.