I'll Give You The Sun Theme of Betrayal

Dang y'all. Jude and Noah Sweetwine are some low-down dirty dogs. They do inexcusable things to each other (and, occasionally, to others). Seriously, these jerks will steal your boyfriend, sabotage your art school application, give you the silent treatment, destroy your belongings, and spill your secrets.

On top of all that, they fight mean. Noah and Jude know how to push each other's buttons. Jude calls her brother weird, knowing how much it hurts him. Noah blows Jude off not just once, but for an entire summer. It all adds up. The ironic thing is, they end up hurting themselves as much as they hurt each other. Must be a twin thing.

Questions About Betrayal

  1. If you were forced to pick a side—Jude or Noah—whose would you take? Why?
  2. Who do you think commits the worst act of betrayal? Explain your answer.
  3. Why does Oscar hook up with another girl when he's clearly interested in Jude?

Chew on This

Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.

In I'll Give You the Sun, no act of betrayal, no matter how terrible, is truly unforgiveable.

In I'll Give You the Sun, betrayal is depicted as a process, not a single act. It's something that builds slowly over time.