Previous
34. Finch: The Day Of
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in All the Bright Places, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Mental Health, Stigma, and Suicide
Community, Support, and Trust
Individuality and Identity
Language, Meaning, and Control
Grief, Trauma, Purpose, and Survivorship
Summary
Analysis
Violet wakes up before Finch and marvels at how quiet he is. He wakes up a bit after and pulls Violet closer, but then Violet realizes it’s morning—she’s been on the tower all night and hasn’t contacted her parents. Violet and Finch scurry down the steps, and at the bottom, Violet calls Violet’s mom, who’s in tears. Finch speeds to Violet’s house, and they both jump out in the driveway. Violet’s dad comes outside and tells Finch to go home. Violet and her mom have to shove Violet’s dad inside.
Violet’s parents’ reactions drive home how different Violet’s support network is from Finch’s. None of Finch’s friends (or family, for that matter) seem to care when he comes and goes—but Violet’s parents are in tears because she was gone overnight without checking in. And Violet, notably, seems to see this as a neutral or positive thing, even if she’s upset in this moment.
Themes
Once Violet and her parents have calmed down, Violet’s dad says that Finch is trouble: he’s had anger issues since he was a kid. Violet realizes her parents called Finch’s. Violet’s dad says that Finch lied about Finch’s dad: his parents divorced last year. Violet remembers Finch saying that lies aren’t really lies if they feel true as her dad asks about Finch and the belltower. He says they called Amanda, and she mentioned that Violet saved Finch on the belltower. Violet’s mom says that they’re trying to do what’s best. Violet feels her palms get itchy as her dad says she can’t see Finch anymore. Upstairs in her room, she wishes Finch were outside; she’d climb out, get in the car, and tell him to drive. But he doesn’t come.
Because Violet and Finch’s relationship is so close, she’s far more sympathetic to Finch’s version of events. Finch wants nothing to do with his dad if he can’t help it—so it helps him act like he doesn’t have to see his dad. But to Violet’s dad, who seems unwilling to be understanding of Finch’s unhealthy family dynamic, this is just a lie. Violet’s mom also frames forbidding Violet from seeing Finch as what’s best for her daughter—though they’re making Violet angry, they’re nevertheless trying to look out for her.
Themes
