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
Daddy isn’t too mad, but the car needs a special part from Indiana or Idaho. In the meantime, Lara Jean will have to catch rides with Josh or take the bus. When Margot calls later that night, Kitty seems poised to tell her about the car. Lara Jean shushes her, so Kitty lies that Daddy and Lara Jean got into a fight. They discuss dinner and Margot’s new roommate.
In Lara Jean’s mind, disappointing Margot is the worst thing that could happen—especially when she’s already disappointed Daddy. However, not telling Margot about the accident is a lie by omission. Going this route shows that Lara Jean sees lies and omitting important information as a good way to not embarrass herself.
Themes
After dinner, Lara Jean texts Chris. When she doesn’t get an answer, Lara Jean decides to work on a scrapbook she’s making for Margot. It’s an involved process, but Lara Jean loves it. She’s currently working on a page about Josh and Margot. Lara Jean is convinced they’ll get back together—and even if they don’t, Josh was still a huge part of Margot’s life. Margot can’t just forget him. She’s applying some fancy heart-print washi tape when Daddy appears in the door and invites Lara Jean to watch a documentary with him. Unwilling to move everything downstairs, Lara Jean declines. She starts a sister page and includes a photo of all three girls and Mommy. Kitty is picking her nose in it.
Memorializing Margot and Josh’s relationship in the scrapbook makes it seem like to Lara Jean, how a relationship looks on the outside is more important than how the relationship feels for the people in it. Even though Margot has said the relationship is over, Lara Jean isn’t willing to believe it—instead, she’s actively trying to encourage Margot to get back together with Josh. Declining to watch the documentary with Daddy shows that it’s not just Daddy who’s distancing himself from his daughters—his daughters also distance themselves from him.
Themes
