After Annie

Vehicles in After Annie serve as a symbol of the characters’ emotional journeys as they grapple with grief. In the wake of Annie’s death, both Annemarie and Bill spend long hours in their vehicles, Annemarie’s car and Bill’s work van, respectively. At first, Annemarie views her car as the only place where she can properly grieve the loss of Annie; it is a private space where she can express her emotions freely and without judgement. Soon, however, her vehicle becomes the primary setting for her battle with addiction. While inside her vehicle—a transitory space that lacks the stability of her home life with Tom—she struggles with the temptation to start using drugs again and ultimately gives in. It is not until Annemarie becomes pregnant and makes plans to purchase a new, permanent home that she begins healing. Bill’s work van also functions to reveal his complicated path toward healing. At first it signals his role as a provider, a reminder that work responsibilities persist even in the face of a devastating personal loss. However, while the van keeps Bill tethered to his daily routine, it also underscores his isolation. Soon it becomes apparent that he is using work travel to escape his responsibilities at home and deny the grief both he and his children are experiencing. To begin the process of healing, he starts spending less time in the van and at work and more time at home. In these ways, After Annie uses vehicles as a metaphor for the characters’ emotional journeys, illustrating the tensions between escape, denial, and healing.