Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in This Is How It Always Is, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Gender and Binaries
Secrets and Misunderstanding
Violence and Discrimination
Storytelling
Family
Summary
Analysis
Penn has been thinking a lot about John Dryden lately. Dryden is the kind of poet students are forced to read in graduate school but never bother reading in real life. Dryden wrote a poem, “Annus Mirabilis,” all about England’s worst year, 1666, in which war, plague, and fire threatened to destroy it. Penn is convinced that Roo is having an “Annus Mirabilis.” Roo failed a history project, refused to redo it, and forged Rosie’s name on the failure notice.
In saying that Roo is having an “Annus Mirabilis,” Penn means to say that Roo is having a terrible year. Annus Mirabilis is Latin for “remarkable year,” and while it was originally meant to describe the year 1666, it has since come to describe any year in which things of great significance happen.
Themes
When Rosie and Penn meet with Roo’s history teacher, they are shocked to finally see the project in question. Roo was assigned a project in which he was to make a video about a current event, and Roo made a video about LGBT people serving in the military. “[G]ays do not belong,” is Roo’s central message in the video, and it is full of naked Barbie dolls and action figures engaged in violence, rape, and despicable language, which Roo, at least, bleeped out of the video.
Prior to 1993, LGBTQ people were not permitted in the military. After 1993 came the era of “Don’t ask, don’t tell,” in which LGBTQ people were allowed to serve in the military as long as they didn’t openly admit to their gender and/or sexuality. It was until “Don’t ask, don’t tell” was repealed in 2011 that people from the LGBTQ community could openly serve in the military.
Themes
On the way home, Penn and Rosie can’t believe that Roo is homophobic and transphobic living in their house. At home, they ask Roo about the project and if he really believes the things he said. Yes, Roo says. Rosie tells Roo that he lied to everyone about the project and forged her signature, and for that, he is grounded. Roo calls Penn and Rosie hypocrites—they lie all the time about Poppy, but he is punished for doing the exact same thing.
Roo’s project is a reflection of the discrimination the LGBTQ community faces in American society. Roughly 20% of LGBTQ people have served in the military, which proportionately is twice the average of the general population. The LGBTQ community serves the country only to be hated and feared by many.
Themes
Later, Rosie calls Camry to vent about Roo, explaining that he’s so mad about moving to Seattle that he’s turned into a bigot. Camry says that Roo is likely feeling like Rosie and Penn chose Poppy over him, and Rosie insists she didn’t. Camry knows that, she says, but it’s like when Rosie’s sister was sick. At the time, Rosie didn’t get much attention, but her time came after, when Rosie needed it more. It is the same with Poppy and Roo. Poppy needed them before, and now, it’s Roo’s turn.
Camry’s comment is a bit of foreshadowing that big changes are upcoming for Roo and that he is going to have a difficult navigating these changes. Camry’s comment again illustrates that being part of a family is not always easy. There comes a time when some may have to take a backseat for others, but, as Camry points out, their time will come, too.
Themes
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