Previous
Chapter 32
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
As Ellie boldly drinks from her bottle of vodka and gives other passengers a hard time on the train to Cambridge, Marcus determines that he no longer wants her to be his girlfriend. He resolves that he needs “someone quieter [...] who liked reading and computer games.” Ellie tells Marcus she’s depressed because Kurt Cobain “understood” her in a way no one else does, and she “loved” him. These ideas are difficult for Marcus to grasp. He maintains that Ellie brings her sadness upon herself and doesn’t understand suicide in the same way people like his mother and Cobain do, even though she claims to.
Ellie’s reckless behavior on the train and her confession about her suicidal ideation, linked to Kurt Cobain’s passing, contrast with Marcus’s yearning for stability and simplicity. Marcus realizes that he needs “someone quieter” than Ellie for a romantic partner, someone who shares his interests, signifying his growing self-awareness and clarity about what he wants in a relationship. Ellie’s inability to comprehend her own sadness and her attachment to Cobain highlight a gap in their emotional experiences and coping mechanisms. Marcus’s struggle to empathize with Ellie’s depression and his perception that she brings her sadness upon herself reflect his difficulty in understanding complexities beyond his own experiences.
Themes
When Ellie jumps off the train before their intended stop, deciding she no longer wants to deal with Marcus’s dad, Marcus hesitantly follows. They walk past a record store with a cardboard cutout of Kurt Cobain in the window display, which Ellie views as a cheap commodification of his death. In retaliation, she throws her boot at the store’s window, cracking it, and steals the Cobain cutout. Soon, the police arrive. Ellie explains that Marcus didn’t actually do anything wrong, but they bring both Ellie and Marcus to the police station anyway.
Ellie’s reaction to the record store’s display of Kurt Cobain and her subsequent vandalism reflect her anger and sense of betrayal by the apparent commercialization of Cobain’s legacy. Marcus’s passive role in this incident and his eventual apprehension by the police highlight his inability to control the situation, as well as his vulnerability to Ellie’s influence.
Themes
Because they live nearest to the station, Marcus’s dad and Lindsey arrive before anyone else. Almost immediately, Ellie rips into Clive for not being a good father and “abandoning” Marcus when he needed him the most. Marcus, suddenly experiencing a burst of anger, takes over the task of scolding his dad, defending his own behavior and explaining that the only thing he did wrong was getting off the train at the wrong stop. When Lindsey lets out a patronizing, “You poor kid,” Marcus quickly orders her to “shut up.” He recognizes that she didn’t really deserve it, but he feels too fired up to stop himself.
This intense confrontation at the police station reveals the deeper tensions and unresolved issues within Marcus’s family—and chosen family—dynamics. Ellie’s attack on Clive for abandoning Marcus exposes the underlying resentment and pain Marcus has experienced due to his father’s absence, as Marcus has never had quite enough courage to confront Clive himself. The altercation with Lindsey reflects his intense emotional state and the complexities of his feelings toward the adults in his life. This moment signifies a crucial step in Marcus’s journey towards independence and self-advocacy, as he begins to articulate his needs and assert his perspective.
Themes
