So Much to Tell You: 4. May Summary & Analysis

(May 1) As the term ends, Marina finishes packing at Warrington amid the noise and energy of the other girls preparing to leave. Cathy nervously asks where Marina will spend the holidays, but Marina cannot answer. She turns away and keeps folding clothes, overwhelmed by dread at the thought of going home to her mother. She wishes someone would notice how unhappy she is and stop her from going home. She considers going to sick bay but cannot explain what she is feeling to anyone.

(May 5) At home, Marina walks into the city and ends up outside the Family Court, where she was once involved in a custody battle between her parents. The memory of the court case makes her feel sick because she thinks her mother getting so much and her father getting so little is what “sent [him] so totally off his brain.”

(May 6-7) At home, Marina’s mother avoids Marina and is disappointed she still does not speak. Marina hides in her room and thinks about the Lindells. Feeling hopeless, she contemplates suicide.

(May 8) During this low period, a letter from Cathy arrives, full of warmth and kindness. Cathy mentions Marina to her mother, who invites her to visit.

(May 12) Back in the hospital, Marina writes back to Cathy, explaining she is unsure if she will return to school. She tells Cathy the letter was the best part of her break.

(May 13) Most of the other patients have changed, and Marina struggles to write without privacy. She believes silence protects her from misunderstanding and helps her observe others more clearly. She also questions whether her mother sent her back to the hospital avoid dealing with her.

(May 14) Dr. Harvey asks Marina to read her journal. She staunchly refuses.

(May 15) Marina writes a letter to Mr. Lindell asking for help. She says that even if she cannot speak, writing and being at school are helping her.

(May 16) A nurse brings flowers from Cathy, along with a note saying Cathy contacted the headmistress to support Marina’s return.

(May 18) Mr. Lindell visits Marina in the hospital. When she sees him in the hallway, she smiles without realizing it—something she has not done in a long time. He talks with her about her mother and the staff and tells her that she will go home the next day and return to school the day after. When he hugs her, she starts crying again. 

(May 19) Dr. Harvey tells Marina he believes she has made more progress than he initially thought and agrees with the decision for her to return to school. Marina feels relieved and emotional. She knows she wants to be back at Warrington.

(May 24) At Warrington, Marina feels comforted by the friendlier atmosphere. Sophie jokes with her, and Cathy arrives with her mother, bringing food and stuffed animals for Marina. Cathy is happy to see Marina smile and introduces her to her mother, who invites her to visit. Lisa later checks in quietly and says she is glad Marina is back. Lisa’s kind words make Marina regret not helping Lisa when she was upset before. Additionally, she reflects on the pain of being home and on her father. She thinks about writing to him, even though she cannot imagine visiting him. She knows he worked hard and lost everything. She also believes that, while he was not the perfect father, he never meant to hurt her. Marina reveals that her father intended to attack her mother with acid but, in the dark, he hit Marina instead, disfiguring her.

(May 25) The dorm quickly returns to normal. Kate exaggerates about her holidays, Emma shows off her braces, and the girls clash over netball, money, and showers. Despite the chaos, Marina feels a sense of belonging. She sits in Prep, nearly 15 now, and knows returning to Warrington was the right choice. She thinks about what she might say when she speaks, wondering if it should be something funny or ordinary.

(May 29) Marina contemplates her face and identity, wondering if a changed face means a changed self. She used to believe that the inside mattered more, but now she feels different both inside and out.

(May 30) Marina visits the Lindells again and finds the visit familiar and comforting. She spends time with Anna, who shows the same honesty and kindness as before. When Anna insists on helping a sick puppy in a pet shop, Marina admires her sincerity. The next day, they go on a picnic. The Lindells’ young sons act wild, smearing food and spitting, but it makes Marina laugh. Mrs. Lindell says Marina looks better, and Marina realizes she has been smiling more. Marina feels grateful for the warmth of the Lindells and wonders at the unfairness of love—why some children receive it, and others are left behind.

(May 31) Sophie falls out of a tree and injures her leg, and the other girls tease her, nicknaming her “Hopalong Lobo.”