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Chapter 3
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Remarkably Bright Creatures, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Grief and Memory
Loneliness and Companionship
Family
Closure and Healing
Summary
Analysis
Tova meets with her longtime friends—Mary Ann, Janice, and Barb, known collectively as the “Knit-Wits”—for tea and cookies. When they notice the marks on her arm, they urge her to see a doctor. Tova briefly considers telling them the truth about Marcellus but decides against it, brushing it off as a workplace mishap instead. The women gently press her to slow down, worried that she’s pushing herself too hard for her age. They even offer financial help, in case her late husband, Will, didn’t leave her enough. But Tova insists she’s fine and shifts the conversation to Barb’s grandchildren.
Tova’s decision to hide the truth about Marcellus from the Knit-Wits shows how deeply she protects her inner life, even with friends she’s known for over 20 years. Their concern, though well-intended, also speaks to the subtle indignities of aging, as they increasingly begin to act as though they know what’s best for her in her later years. Tova deflects with grace, her pivot to Barb’s grandchildren suggesting a discomfort with being the center of concern—or pity.
Themes
The Knit-Wits, originally a knitting club, have been close for 25 years. There were originally seven women, but now only four remain. Their friendship began as their children left home—an emptiness Tova wasn’t ready to confront when she first joined. Her only child, 18-year-old Erik, had died five years before the group’s first yarn swap. He disappeared from his job at the pier, and though a boat bearing his fingerprints was later found washed ashore, his body was never recovered. The police ruled it a suicide, but Tova has never believed that’s what happened.
The Knit-Wits’ history underscores how much time has passed since Erik’s death. Tova’s entry into the group wasn’t merely social, but a way to fill the void her son’s death left behind. Her continued doubt about the official story of his disappearance reveals that her grief remains unresolved and unacknowledged in ways others may not be able to see.
Themes
As Tova leaves Mary Ann’s house, Mary Ann reminds her that if her aquarium job ever becomes too much, the Knit-Wits will be there to support her. Tova, however, finds the offer slightly insulting, as though Tova doesn’t know what’s best for herself. On the drive home, sunlight breaks through the clouds, and she suddenly feels motivated to tackle the yard work the recent rain had forced her to put off. Once home, she checks her voicemail before heading outside. One message is from the Charter Village Long-Term Care Center: her brother, Lars, has passed away.
Themes
