Privilege and Wealth

The central theme of the novel is privilege and wealth and the way that economic advantage alters the choices, emotional development, and life outcomes of each of the characters. The primary contrast in terms of wealth and wellbeing is between the characters of Bobby and Heather. Although Bobby is much older than Heather, the author chooses to depict their respective childhoods in the same chapter, Chapter One, in order to underscore the contrasts between their family’s financial circumstances. From the moment of her birth, Heather was provided with every form of support and education that money could buy, including being sent to a progressive and nurturing private school from a young age. In contrast, Bobby’s neglect began before he was even born when his mother, who struggles with addiction, ate very poorly and consumed a lot of alcohol throughout her pregnancy. Whereas...