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Chapter 24
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in About a Boy, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Chosen Family
Coming of Age and Maturity
Alienation and Mental Illness
Identity, Pop Culture, and Fitting In
Summary
Analysis
At Suzie’s New Year’s Eve party, Marcus is surprised to find Ellie there, too. As it turns out, Ellie’s mum is good friends with Suzie. Ellie points her out in the crowd and complains about her dancing “like a total cretin,” but she admits they get along okay. When Ellie leaves to get drinks for both of them, Marcus scans the crowd for his mum, worried about her mental state. Since the Dead Duck Day, he has come to associate her emotional ups and downs with the feeling of teetering on the edge of a cliff. On days when she seems lighter and in good spirits, he doesn’t worry so much about her falling off. But on days when she appears less alert or distracted, he watches her extra closely.
At Suzie’s New Year’s Eve party, Marcus is taken aback to see Ellie, revealing a previously unknown connection between their social circles through Ellie’s mother’s friendship with Suzie. Ellie’s nonchalant attitude towards her mother’s behavior and their generally okay relationship hints at a casual, almost detached family dynamic that contrasts sharply with Marcus’s more anxious and vigilant approach to his mother’s wellbeing. Marcus’s preoccupation with his mother’s mental health since Dead Duck Day highlights his deep-seated fear and sense of responsibility, portraying him as a child forced into a caretaker role.
Themes
Ellie tells Marcus that she knows about his mum’s suicide attempt. Taken aback at first, Marcus soon realizes this is the first truly important conversation he’s had with someone around his own age. Despite the heaviness of the topic, he enjoys their talk, feeling older and more mature. He gradually begins to understand why his mum has always chosen her friends carefully, rather than just spending time with colleagues or fans of the same sports teams because it was easier.
The conversation between Marcus and Ellie about his mother’s suicide attempt marks a significant moment in Marcus’s social development. This exchange makes Marcus feel more grown-up and validates his mother’s selective approach to friendships, emphasizing the importance of meaningful connections. This moment illustrates Marcus’s evolving understanding of adult relationships and the value of emotional depth and support in friendships.
Themes
Because it seems to be what most people do, Marcus asks Ellie to dance. She blithely declines and walks away, but she finds him again at midnight and gives him a hug, which lifts his spirits. Ellie then takes Marcus outside, where her mother is making out with a man in the dark, and Ellie obnoxiously taunts her from a distance. Marcus is fairly shocked by the whole scene; he can’t imagine his own mother behaving that way or anything like this happening back in Cambridge. He concludes that in London, there are “no rules,” which ultimately makes everything feel more complicated.
Marcus’s decision to ask Ellie to dance reflects his attempt to conform to social norms, despite his discomfort and unfamiliarity with such customs. Ellie’s refusal and subsequent reappearance to hug Marcus at midnight illustrate the unpredictable and complex nature of teenage interactions. The scene where Ellie mocks her mother’s behavior further shocks Marcus, further reinforcing Marcus’s perception of London as a place without clear rules. It also adds to his sense of uncertainty when it comes to social interactions and adult behaviors.
Themes
