Tip's essay might get chosen to go in the time capsule to be read one hundred years from now, but that doesn't stop time all together. In fact, time marches on pretty quickly in The True Meaning of Smekday. Since Tip is considering what people will think about her life and the alien invasion in the future, we are constantly reminded that these events—like life itself—are happening at a specific point. The book asks us to think about how time passes and what remains after something big happens. Time, in other words, is a big deal in this book.
Questions About Time
- Why do you think Tip's essay is put in a time capsule? Why would someone want to read about her experience in one hundred years?
- Tip often mentions how fast or slowly time moves in different scenes in the book. Why is this important? How does the pacing affect our reading?
- How would the novel change if we were told the story in order, from start to finish? Why do you think the author starts with Tip meeting J.Lo instead of her mom's mole?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
According to The True Meaning of Smekday, the past isn't important to the people in the future.
Tip emphasizes how important time is by thinking about how our emotions and actions change its pace.