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Chapter 32
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Anxious People, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Parenting and Fear
Marriage, Conflict, and Communication
Mental Health and Connection
The Modern World
Assumptions
Summary
Analysis
Continuing her witness interview, Estelle says she’s sure Stockholm is pleasant, and Knut isn’t prejudiced, either. Jim asks about Ro and Julia. Estelle says they were arguing, and it was cute; Roger and Anna-Lena were arguing too, but it wasn’t cute. Roger and Anna-Lena were arguing about the rabbit, which is a long story. They were arguing about how bankers and Stockholmers were manipulating the housing market. Jim clarifies: gay people are manipulating the housing market? Estelle says that’s a terrible thing to say; she was referring to Stockholmers, not “Stockholmers.” Jim is confused, but Estelle continues. She recalls that everyone was arguing. Also, Ro was looking at the walk-in closet. Jim notes that on the plans, the closet is tiny. He asks if it’s big enough for someone to hide in. Estelle supposes it is.
Once again, Estelle seems outwardly nice to Jim—but she’s confusing him more than she’s giving him pertinent information, except perhaps when she mentions the walk-in closet that doesn’t match the plans. As Estelle talks about Anna-Lena and Roger’s argument, she uses “Stockholmers” to refer to wealthier city folk who buy property in smaller towns, thereby driving up the markets in those small towns. She also implicates bankers like Zara, highlighting again how the modern banking and real estate systems don’t actually do much to help people.
Themes
