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Bad Days: Chapter 39
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Enduring Impact of Trauma
Shame and the Stigmatization of Pain
Projection and Denial
The Vicious Circle of Isolation and Social Awkwardness
Summary
Analysis
It’s Wednesday night, and Eleanor is talking to Mummy. Eleanor tells her she doesn’t like her anymore, and that she doesn’t want talk to her anymore. Mummy mocks Eleanor’s seriousness before inquiring about her “project” with the musician. Eleanor tells her it was never really her project—that it was really Mummy’s idea all along. Mummy denies this accusation, arguing that she’d merely been “supportive” of Eleanor.
It’s ironic for Mummy to tell Eleanor that she’s been “supportive” of her when her only role for the entire novel has been to cut Eleanor down. Eleanor’s decision to cut ties with Mummy symbolizes her decision to move beyond her traumatic past.
Themes
Eleanor thinks about her childhood and realizes that Mummy had never been “supportive” of her or Marianne. She tells Mummy that starting the fire was hardly a “supportive” gesture. Mummy accuses Eleanor of being fed lies and makes excuses for her actions. Eleanor realizes that she and Marianne were never more than “inconveniences” to Mummy. Hearing her own voice clearly, Eleanor tells Mummy “good-bye.”
By telling Mummy good-bye, Eleanor symbolically reclaims complete control of her life. She’s now comfortable enough with herself to take ownership of her own thoughts and actions, and she’s now better capable of accepting her trauma and starting down the path toward recovery—she doesn’t need Mummy to hold her back any longer.
Themes
