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Chapter 28
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Midnight Library, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Regret, Depression, and Suicide
Philosophy and the Meaning of Life
Possibility and Perseverance
Embracing Imperfection
Summary
Analysis
Nora receives a call from “Ryan,” and she’s shocked to discover that the famous actor Ryan Bailey is calling her. During their awkward conversation, she quickly gathers that the two of them had been a couple at one point, but had recently split up, much to Ryan’s dismay. Nora also realizes that the real Ryan Bailey isn’t at all what she imagined he’d be like from watching his movies; he’s much less charming than in his films, and seems like a bit of a drunken slob. She asks whether he really studied philosophy for his role as Plato in The Athenians, and he admits that he never did—that was just something he told the press to generate interest. Nora feels strangely proud of this version of herself for dumping Ryan Bailey.
While learning the true personality of Ryan Bailey is a relatively minor revelation in Nora’s overall journey, it’s still a helpful moment of clarity for her. It serves as another reminder that many of Nora’s perceived shortcomings are manufactured by her own imagination, which isn’t always reliable. She had imagined herself discussing philosophy with Ryan Bailey in a better version of her life, but in reality, it’s Bailey who knows less about philosophy than Nora. This helps bring Nora closer to accepting herself, as she feels confident in her cerebral interests.
Themes
