Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Lionel Shriver's We Need to Talk About Kevin. Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.
We Need to Talk About Kevin: Introduction
A concise biography of Lionel Shriver plus historical and literary context for We Need to Talk About Kevin.
We Need to Talk About Kevin: Plot Summary
A quick-reference summary: We Need to Talk About Kevin on a single page.
We Need to Talk About Kevin: Detailed Summary & Analysis
In-depth summary and analysis of every chapter of We Need to Talk About Kevin. Visual theme-tracking, too.
We Need to Talk About Kevin: Themes
Explanations, analysis, and visualizations of We Need to Talk About Kevin's themes.
We Need to Talk About Kevin: Quotes
We Need to Talk About Kevin's important quotes, sortable by theme, character, or chapter.
We Need to Talk About Kevin: Characters
Description, analysis, and timelines for We Need to Talk About Kevin's characters.
We Need to Talk About Kevin: Symbols
Explanations of We Need to Talk About Kevin's symbols, and tracking of where they appear.
We Need to Talk About Kevin: Theme Wheel
An interactive data visualization of We Need to Talk About Kevin's plot and themes.
Brief Biography of Lionel Shriver
Lionel Shriver was born Margaret Ann Shriver in Gastonia, North Carolina. Shriver changed her name to “Lionel” at the age of 15, as she thought it was more fitting to her stereotypically masculine style. Shriver’s father was a Presbyterian minister, and she was raised in a religious household. Shriver attended Barnard College, where she earned a BA before going on to receive an MFA from Columbia University. She has traveled extensively, living for extended times in Egypt and Thailand. She now resides in London with her partner. Shriver's novels are known for their exploration of complex social and psychological issues.
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Historical Context of We Need to Talk About Kevin
Though We Need To Talk About Kevin does not directly mirror any specific school shooting, the novel was published soon after the infamous Columbine High School massacre in 1999, in which two students killed 12 other students and one teacher on school grounds. The event prompted what is now known as the “Columbine Effect,” influencing a number of teenagers who then committed murders at their own schools. In We Need To Talk About Kevin, Kevin witnesses an epidemic of school shootings and becomes influenced himself. The Columbine massacre is seen as having influenced the more recent Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Stoneman Douglas, and Robb shootings. The collection of mass murders has sparked debate over gun control and has encouraged schools to implement tighter security restrictions and safety measures.
Other Books Related to We Need to Talk About Kevin
Shriver has said the novel Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner has influenced her writing the most in terms of its poetic literary devices. Defending Jacob by William Landay is a more recent novel (published in 2012) that is relevant to We Need to Talk About Kevin, as it’s about a teenager accused of murder and the effect this has on a family. Like We Need To Talk About Kevin, Landay’s novel explores the limits of parental responsibility and the legal system’s role in determining fault. The nonfiction book Columbine explores the Columbine High School massacre in 1999—the deadliest school shooting in history before We Need To Talk About Kevin was published. This book examines the lives and psychologies of the two perpetrators. On another note, Celeste Ng’s 2017 novel Little Fires Everywhere explores the themes of motherhood, family, and coming of age, and the impact that violent crime has on a community.
Key Facts about We Need to Talk About Kevin
- Full Title: We Need to Talk About Kevin
- Where Written: London, England
- When Published: April 14, 2003
- Literary Period: Contemporary
- Genre: Epistolary Novel, Thriller
- Setting: New York City and Gladstone, NJ
- Climax: Kevin murders 10 people in his school gymnasium.
- Antagonist: Kevin Khatchadourian
- Point of View: First Person
Extra Credit for We Need to Talk About Kevin
Film Adaptation. We Need To Talk About Kevin was adapted into a movie in 2011. The film was acclaimed by critics, and some consider it to be one of the best movies of the 2010s.
Previous Work. Lionel Shriver published seven novels before We Need To Talk About Kevin. Her previous novels were well-received too, but We Need To Talk About Kevin won the prestigious Orange Award, bringing the author to the public eye.
