Piecing Me Together

The concept of intersectionality can be teased out through an examination of Jade’s relationship to others in the book. Compare and contrast Jade’s relationship with the other primary characters in the book (namely, Sam, Maxine, and Lee Lee). What are their similarities? What are their differences?

Trace the evolution of Woman to Woman throughout Piecing Me Together. What are the key indicators that the organization has changed at its very core? 

Echoing the motif of collaging, Piecing Me Together features several one-page, fragmented chapters—for example, Chapter 18, Chapter 31, and Chapter 67. How do these fragmented chapters contribute to the novel as a whole, thematically speaking?

In Chapter 7, Jade compares Mrs. Parker to British colonists pillaging the Native Americans. Examine other instances in which Native Americans appear in the novel. How do they contribute to the themes of intersectional identity, true mentorship, and freedom?

Analyze Lee Lee’s poem “Black Girls Rising” in Chapter 75. Select three stanzas in the poem and connect them to the larger themes in the novel. 

Chapter 59, titled “escubar - to listen,” marks a turning point in the novel. What is the significance of Woman to Woman’s holding its very first Money Matters workshop, at Jade’s suggestion? 

Jade’s learning to speak up for herself is the engine that enacts change in Piecing Me Together. What are the ways in which Jade’s self-advocacy shapes the course of the narrative? Unpack the tangible effects of Jade’s learning to stand up for herself. 

Collaging is an overarching theme of the book, as evidenced even by its title. Why is collaging Jade’s preferred method of expressing herself? How does it relate to themes of identity and intersectionality?