Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Me Before You, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Ambition and Achievement
Love and Sacrifice
Quality of Life
Fitness
Summary
Analysis
Lou presents her grand “cheer up Will with adventures” plan to the Traynor family. They are surprised, but supportive, Steven more than Camilla and Georgina. Camilla agrees, as long as she or Georgina goes on holiday with them, but Georgina insists she has to get back to her own life in Australia. Steven puts his foot down and says that Will should be allowed to go independently with Lou and Nathan, able to make his own choices again. Reluctantly, Camilla agrees.
Georgina, like Treena, feels that she shouldn’t have to sacrifice her own life and ambitions for her family. Though Will certainly needs support in this struggle, Georgina cannot give up her own life for Will. Steven, though often clueless about the kids, sees to the heart of Will’s depression: Will wants to be able to be independent and have agency in his life.
Themes
That afternoon, Treena and Lou stand in a cold field, waiting for Patrick to reach the end of his latest triathlon. They discuss Lou’s potential plans for Will. Lou brings up horse racing, but Treena encourages her to try more “cultural” events. Treena then jokes about racier activities like strippers while Lou tries to catch Patrick’s eye as he finishes. Patrick doesn’t see Lou.
Lou gives Patrick support that Patrick does not return for Lou. Patrick is so focused on running that he doesn’t even see Lou, just like he doesn’t see Lou’s emotions in their relationship. Treena makes it clear that giving Will more adventures will also require Lou to broaden her horizons.
Themes
Lou’s family is more grateful for Lou’s wages than ever as Treena packs to leave for university. Lou starts to get annoyed with her sister for trying to take some of her things, then realizes that her sister’s move means that she can finally take the bigger room. Treena feels betrayed when she finds out, asking Lou why she hasn’t moved in with Patrick yet if she wants more space so badly. Lou calls her sister a freeloader as Bernard yells at them to stop fighting,
In Lou’s eyes, Treena takes whatever she wants, regardless of the consequences. Lou begins to take on some of that mindset by taking a larger space in the home that she now pays for. Yet Lou is still not fully able to grow into her own space, and is unable to move to the next step in her relationship with Patrick.
Themes
On Lou’s next Saturday off, she goes to the library to research trips for Will. She is nervous to be at the library again and using a computer for the first time in years, but happily discovers that using the internet is not hard. Lou makes a list of possible adventures and buys a calendar to record their progress as the date of Will’s Dignitas appointment approaches. Lou now has four months to convince Will that he still has reasons to live.
Lou’s discovery of the internet is another way that she is making her world bigger, step by step. Like reading and academics, the library is another area that Lou avoided because of Treena, but she is now ready to take some of that space for herself. Lou is still making her world bigger for Will’s sake, though, needing that exterior reason to push her out of safe complacency.
Themes
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