Intermezzo
by Sally Rooney
About_
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney follows two brothers, Peter and Ivan Koubek, as they navigate grief, love, and their
strained relationship after their father’s death. The novel explores class, age, family, and the complicated ways
people try to connect. This study guide helps students engage closely with the text through chapter questions, an
article, true/false statements, a crossword, and a character activity. This study guide contains 65 questions across 5
chapter sections (50 Factual + 15 Critical), 1 Crossword Puzzle (12 clues), and 1 Character Focus Activity.
What’s Included_
This study guide features 5 sets of 10 Factual Questions with an answer key (50 total), 5 sets of 3 Critical Analysis
Questions (15 total), 1 Crossword Puzzle (12 clues), and 1 Character Focus Activity (8 traits + evidence prompt +
critical thinking question).
Target Grades_
Grades 10-12
Teacher Note_
This guide builds close-reading and comprehension skills while encouraging students to think critically about
complex family relationships and moral choices. The ready-made questions, answer key, and activities save
valuable preparation time. We hope it helps spark rich classroom conversations.
The Author and Her Style
Sally Rooney is an Irish novelist known for writing about young adults, relationships, class, and modern life. Her prose is direct
and focuses closely on characters’ inner thoughts rather than dramatic action. Her books are popular with readers around the
world and have been adapted for television.
Dublin and Ireland Today
Intermezzo is set in contemporary Ireland, moving between Dublin and smaller towns. The characters deal with issues such as
rising rent, housing shortages, and the pressure to build a career. Understanding this backdrop helps readers see why money
and security matter so much to the characters.
Chess and Family Themes
Chess plays an important role in the novel, shaping one character’s identity and way of thinking. The story also explores how
grief, family expectations, and unspoken feelings affect relationships between siblings and parents. Readers can look for how
different people cope with loss and uncertainty.