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How did Atlas become homeless?
After Lily’s father hurts her, Atlas confides in Lily, telling her that he too has been abused. His stepfather used to burn him with cigarettes and his mother didn’t stand up for him, prompting Atlas to leave his mother’s house. When he did try to return home, his mother said it would upset his stepfather too much, leaving Atlas with nowhere to go.
What happened to Ryle and Allysa’s brother?
After Ryle abuses Lily and Allysa sees her injuries, Allysa says that Ryle has to tell Lily what happened. Lily learns that, when Ryle was six and his brother Emerson was seven, Ryle accidentally shot and killed Emerson, a tragedy that would come to define his life. Ryle confesses that the incident destroyed him, and has resulted in an inability to control his temper. This revelation clarifies Ryle’s violent reaction on the rooftop at the beginning of the novel; he had just lost a patient, a little boy who was accidentally shot by his brother, a case with which Ryle had a personal connection.
What is the significance of Lily’s heart tattoo?
Lily’s heart tattoo is based on the heart Atlas carved for her in the oak tree in her backyard. Lily gets the tattoo in college when she’s missing Atlas and wondering when he'll come back. Its symbolism is bittersweet, a source of both pain and comfort. On the one hand, the tattoo is a permanent reminder for Lily of how much she and Atlas loved each other when they were teenagers. On the other, however, Lily also thinks about how the heart, which has a hole in it, represents how it feels to still love Atlas after all these years, and to believe he’ll never return to her, as though Atlas left a hole in her heart that can only be filled by him. The tattoo serves to keep Atlas always close to her, a constant reminder of his love, but it also reminds Lily of the pain of his absence.
What did Lily’s dad do to Atlas?
In Chapter Seventeen, Lily reads her final journal entry, which reveals that her father, after walking in on Lily and Atlas having sex for the first time, beats Atlas with a baseball bat. Both Atlas and Lily are taken away in ambulances, Atlas for his injuries and Lily for a panic attack. Her father tells Lily that she’s brought shame on the family, and Atlas, who was visiting for Lily’s birthday, returns to Boston.
What finally convinces Lily to divorce Ryle?
Lily tells Ryle she wants a divorce while she’s holding her daughter for the first time. Lily is overcome by the love she feels for her daughter, which gives her the strength to do what her own mother couldn’t. She asks Ryle to imagine what he would say if their daughter was one day abused by the person she loved. He replies that he would tell his daughter that she deserved so much more, and to leave the person who was hurting her.
Why does Lily name her daughter Emerson?
Lily decides to name her daughter Emerson after Ryle’s brother. In doing so, she honors the child while simultaneously signifying the start of something new and hopeful, and her willingness to move beyond the pain of the past.
