A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Rules and Suggestions Preface Acknowledgements Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11
Themes
All Themes Self-Consciousness and Meta-Narration Coming of Age, Parenthood, and Responsibility Death, Humor, and the Worst-Case Scenario Identity Guilt and Poetic License
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Dave Eggers Toph Eggers Eggers’s Mother (Heidi Eggers) Eggers’s Father (John Eggers) Beth Eggers Bill Eggers Kirsten Moodie John Shalini Malhotra Meredith Weiss Sarah Mulhern Laura Folger Sari Lockers Lance Crapo Skye Bassett Stephen
Symbols
All Symbols The Wallet Heidi and John Eggers’s Ashes
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A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

by

Dave Eggers

Upgrade to A+
Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis
  • Rules and Suggestions
  • Preface
  • Acknowledgements
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3
  • Chapter 4
  • Chapter 5
  • Chapter 6
  • Chapter 7
  • Chapter 8
  • Chapter 9
  • Chapter 10
  • Chapter 11
Themes
  • All Themes
  • Self-Consciousness and Meta-Narration Theme Icon
    Self-Consciousness and Meta-Narration
  • Coming of Age, Parenthood, and Responsibility Theme Icon
    Coming of Age, Parenthood, and Responsibility
  • Death, Humor, and the Worst-Case Scenario Theme Icon
    Death, Humor, and the Worst-Case Scenario
  • Identity Theme Icon
    Identity
  • Guilt and Poetic License Theme Icon
    Guilt and Poetic License
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • Dave Eggers
  • Toph Eggers
  • Eggers’s Mother (Heidi Eggers)
  • Eggers’s Father (John Eggers)
  • Beth Eggers
  • Bill Eggers
  • Kirsten
  • Moodie
  • John
  • Shalini Malhotra
  • Meredith Weiss
  • Sarah Mulhern
  • Laura Folger
  • Sari Lockers
  • Lance Crapo
  • Skye Bassett
  • Stephen
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • The Wallet Symbol Icon
    The Wallet
  • Heidi and John Eggers’s Ashes Symbol Icon
    Heidi and John Eggers’s Ashes
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
Download this Chart (PDF)
Download the Teacher Edition
Download this Chart (PDF)

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius Study Guide

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MLA

Lannamann, Taylor. "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 7 Nov 2018. Web. 13 Jun 2025.


Chicago

Lannamann, Taylor. "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius." LitCharts LLC, November 7, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2025. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/a-heartbreaking-work-of-staggering-genius.

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