Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Family, Responsibility, and Growing Up
Love and Fear
Social Structure, Reputation, and High School
Lies vs. Honesty
Summary
Analysis
The next morning, as Lara Jean heads outside for the bus, she sees Peter. He grins and calls for her. But as they walk to the bus together, someone whistles, and it seems like everyone is staring at them—including Genevieve. Peter doesn’t seem concerned as they settle onto the bus. Chris sits with Charlie; Lara Jean hasn’t gotten to tell her about last night yet.
The whistle and the stares suggest that people know something about Lara Jean and Peter. Peter’s lack of concern may stem from the fact that he’s just more comfortable with being the center of attention than Lara Jean is, because he’s more popular.
Themes
The bus stops at a diner for breakfast. When Lara Jean goes to the bathroom, Genevieve is there putting on lip gloss. As Lara Jean comes out of the stall, Genevieve said that when they were kids, she wanted to be Lara Jean. She loved Lara Jean’s family and hated her own dad. Lara Jean asks why Genevieve stopped being her friend, then. Genevieve says that Lara Jean kissed Peter in seventh grade, even though she knew Genevieve liked him. She spits that it makes sense that Lara Jean and Chris are friends—though “at least Chris owns her sluttiness.” Genevieve says she knows Lara Jean and Peter had sex in the hot tub last night.
In Lara Jean’s letter to Peter, she placed the blame squarely on Peter—while Genevieve sees Lara Jean as the villain for kissing Peter. While it’s impossible to know exactly what the truth is, it’s clear that Lara Jean, Genevieve, and Peter all have different ideas of what happened that day—and they’re using their interpretations to justify their fear or hatred of each other.
Themes
Lara Jean feels ready to pass out as Genevieve says that everyone knows, and it’s disgusting. Lara Jean tries to choke back tears and says she and Peter just kissed, but Genevieve says Peter is telling people they had sex. Genevieve insists people are congratulating him because he convinced “sweet little Lara Jean” to have sex with him. She claims that Peter is just dating Lara Jean to make Genevieve jealous; he’s using her. He’ll never love anyone else but Genevieve, and who knows what’ll happen now. Lara Jean runs out of the bathroom, sobbing.
Earlier, Chris suggested that she should she tell her grandma about Genevieve’s promiscuity. Now, Genevieve is punishing Lara Jean in much the same way, by spreading rumors about her sex life. There’s sexism involved in this as well: Peter is being congratulated, while Lara Jean is the one taking the fall.
Themes
