Loneliness

Larkin introduces her thematic examination of loneliness when April is alone in the motorhome, in Chapter 3. April turns on the TV because, while she “can’t always tell who’s who [on the soap opera] the chatter lets [her] pretend [she is] not alone” (25). After being abandoned by both of her parents, April struggles to be by herself; silence reminds her that her closest family members chose to leave her, and she struggles with feelings of worthlessness. The author utilizes this moment in the text to assert that loneliness and solitude are not synonymous. If April had autonomously chosen to be by herself, she would not have needed the distraction of the soap opera dialogue to cope with her loneliness and obscure intrusive thoughts.

The author continues to inspect loneliness through Carly and Rosemary’s relationship. After their breakup, Carly recognizes that they did not have...