Previous
Chapter 15
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Love, Aubrey, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Grief, Loss, and Healing
Love, Family, and Community
The Value of Routine
Forgiveness, Empathy, and Compassion
Summary
Analysis
Aubrey is sitting on the couch doing her homework and watching TV in the background when Gram approaches her to discuss the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Gram says that Bridget’s family invited them to join their family dinner. Aubrey is hurt that Mom didn’t call to try to spend the holiday with her, but Gram explains that Mom isn’t ready to be around family yet. Gram says they can still call Mom to wish her a happy Thanksgiving, but Aubrey doesn’t want to.
Aubrey’s feelings about Mom continue to be complicated and conflicted. She is hurt that Mom can’t or won’t spend Thanksgiving with Aubrey, interpreting Mom’s absence as evidence of a lack of love for Aubrey. Bridget’s family steps in to make Aubrey (and Gram) have a more normal, cheerier holiday than they might have otherwise had.
Active
Themes
Later, Gram asks Aubrey for input about what food they should bring to Thanksgiving dinner. Aubrey wants to make a dish Dad used to make, which involves sweet potatoes and marshmallows, but she can’t remember the recipe. She has a flashback to sitting with Savannah and joyfully smelling all the delicious scents emanating from the kitchen. From that memory, she pieces together the sweet potato dish.
Earlier in the story, Aubrey’s flashbacks to happier times when her family was alive and together left her paralyzed and unable to engage with others. As such, she tried to suppress her memories. This scene sees her confronting one of those memories and trying to turn it into a good thing, using her memory of an earlier Thanksgiving to piece together Dad’s special recipe.
Active
Themes
Aubrey and Gram arrive at Bridget’s house on Thanksgiving. Bridget’s dad tells Aubrey how excited Bridget is: she’s always wanted to celebrate a holiday with a friend. Aubrey has wanted this too, but it feels strange now that so much of her family isn’t here to celebrate with her. She hands her sweet potato dish to Bridget’s dad, feeling suddenly uncomfortable.
Active
Themes
At dinner, Bridget’s mom asks if Aubrey has a “tradition” they do before dinner. Aubrey’s mind flashes back to her family passing a round loaf around the table, but she doesn’t tell Bridget’s mom about it. Bridget’s mom says her family usually goes around the table taking turns saying what each person is thankful for. The family proceeds with this ritual. When it’s Bridget’s turn, she says she’s thankful for her new friend. When it's Aubrey’s turn, she freezes, unable to say anything, fearful it will mean she’s forgetting her “real family.” She squeezes Bridget’s and Gram’s hands under the table instead. Gram breaks the silence to express thanks for Aubrey. After that, Bridget’s dad leads the family in saying grace.
Active
Themes
Get the entire Love, Aubrey LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
That night, Aubrey writes a letter to Aubrey’s dad. She updates him on everything that’s happened in her life and expresses how much she misses him—and how angry she is at Mom for “choosing to leave” her. Daddy didn’t have a choice, but Mom did.
Active
Themes
