Loneliness/Belonging

One of the reasons Jamie and Charlotte readily attach to one another is because they are lonely. Each student fills their need for connection in different ways.

Jamie writes and makes attempts at false relationships with girls. His feeling of isolation is not limited to his move to Connecticut. When he looks back on his time in London, it is similarly characterized by surface friendships and relationships, such as an attempt to falsify who he is to please the social hierarchy.

Charlotte is a singular person because she is a Holmes, which is to say, by choice. However, it is also clear that she would welcome friendship and regard from a special person if it was presented to her. The story is not about escaping your heritage as much as stepping boldly into it. The legacy that follows Jamie and Charlotte isolates them around regular...