Eleanor and Park: Chapter 31 Summary & Analysis

The next morning, Park shows up to the bus stop ready to apologize to her—but when she isn’t there, he finds himself feeling angry and uncertain of what the fact that they won’t see each other for several weeks means for their relationship. Park shouts “I’m sorry” in the direction of Eleanor’s house.

It is the last day of school before Christmas vacation, and Eleanor tells her mother she is sick so that she can stay home from school. Even though Richie is at work all day, Eleanor stays put in her room until she runs out of things to read—and batteries for her Walkman. She doesn’t get out of bed until Sunday afternoon, but when Mouse, at the sight of her face, demands to know why she’s been crying, she gets back into bed and retreats into fantasies of Park—fantasies that now feel cheap in the wake of their fight.

The narrative switches to Park’s point of view. It is a week into Christmas break, and he hasn’t seen or heard from Eleanor. Jamie tenderly asks Park if he and Eleanor have broken up—and if it’s too late to get her back—but Park shuts down his father’s questions.

The narrative switches to Eleanor’s point of view. One day, Sabrina wakes Eleanor up early and asks her to walk to the grocery store with her—40 minutes away. They shop for on-sale groceries and then head to the Goodwill to find some cheap Christmas presents. The outing is a little depressing but also kind of nice, and on the walk home, Eleanor briefly considers confiding in her mother about Park, but ultimately decides she can’t.

The narrative switches to Park’s point of view. He rides his bike back and forth past Eleanor’s house each day, waiting for a time when Richie’s truck isn’t in the yard. One day, finally, the truck is gone, and Park sees one of Eleanor’s siblings playing outside. Park pedals up to the yard and asks the older boy if Eleanor is home—he says he’s “not telling” and runs inside the house. Park pedals back home, dejected.