Sherry uses layering throughout Walls Within Walls to emphasize the effect of deception and create complex characters. Take one of the five primary characters and reimagine the story without that character’s layers. Write a short character description where your chosen character is what their surface shows and discuss how that change impacts the themes and relationships in the book.

Using your own life experiences and examples from the text, draft your own defended answer to the question Sherry asks through Brid: When is it acceptable to do something “wrong”?

Put yourself in Julian Post’s shoes. Write a letter to Eloise to explain where you have been, how you feel about the situation, and what you hope for in the future. Go beyond the surface and give Julian even more layers.