Themes

There were many recurring themes that were displayed in this novel. The most dominant themes were mental illness, dealing with loss, the power of love, and hope. Theodore Finch the protagonist, has a bi-polar disorder and is also going through major depression. His mental illness is something he struggles with throughout the entire book as he is suicidal. Finch is always thinking of ways to die and does not realize how toxic his thoughts are. Furthermore, dealing with loss is a major theme as this is the largest struggle for Violet. In the book she slowly learns to accept the past and live life without her sister. Overall, these themes contribute to the mood and atmosphere as it gives a sad and heavy tone that comes with these subjects. On the other hand, a major theme which is the power of love was expressed through Theodore’s actions. Through the novel, Theodore tried to help Violet live again and overcome her grief by bringing joy into her life because he loved her.  Another theme which is hope, was constantly seen in the story as well. With the help of Finch, Violet started off as a vulnerable character who was able to get back up from her traumatizing experience. He gave her hope to live and move on in life without her sister. Moreover, the places Theodore visited with Violet brought him hope and allowed him to try to seek for help by joining a support group after one night when he overdosed on pills. At times, Finch was able to still see the good in the world even when he felt that he could not continue on.