Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Turtles All the Way Down, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Identity, Selfhood, and Mental Illness
Chaos vs. Order and Control
Language and Meaning
Privilege, Power, and Wealth
Summary
Analysis
Aza drives Mom to school the next morning. Mom notices Aza pressing on her finger, something Aza does when she's nervous, and asks Aza how the "med situation" is and about her upcoming appointment with Dr. Singh. Aza offers noncommittal answers but explains to the reader that she doesn’t like the idea of having to take a pill in order to “become herself" and therefore she doesn't take them regularly.
Even if Aza doesn't find her own head a particularly comfortable place to be, she's disturbed that she can take a pill that will make her head more manageable. This illustrates a distrust of things outside her influencing things inside her, as well as an underlying fear of change.
Themes
At her locker, Aza looks up the reporter that Daisy phished and sees that he appears to still have his job. Mychal jogs up to Aza. Aza is thinking about how her self seems to be in multiple places at once and can barely concentrate on what Mychal is saying. She thinks that Mychal is trying to ask her out, but Mychal explains that he wants to know if Daisy would go out with him. Aza tells him to talk to Daisy, leaves the conversation, and texts Daisy from her biology class. Daisy insists that Mychal looks like a giant baby and she can't date him, and asks Aza if she has read the police report.
Although Aza seems very quiet to Mychal, her mind is moving extremely fast and thinking about many things that are distracting enough to keep her from being able to concentrate on the conversation. Perhaps because of her own struggle to put her thoughts into language, she refuses to talk to Daisy on Mychal’s behalf—it’s hard enough for her to speak for herself.
Themes
Aza hasn't read the report, so she sneakily reads it throughout the day. It consists of mostly witness statements from Noah and Davis. Davis’s statement says that it was a normal evening. Noah's statement says that Davis and Mr. Pickett were arguing some, but it was an otherwise normal evening. Hundreds of photos of the Pickett mansion follow, showing nothing out of place. Aza realizes the police don't know about the night vision camera.
The police report contains little information to suggest that the police have any evidence to work with, putting Daisy and Asa at a major advantage, given that they are in possession of the phot of Mr. Pickett from the night vision camera. The report does, however, suggest that arguments with Mr. Pickett had become a routine part of life at the Pickett estate.
Themes
When Aza gets in Harold after school, Daisy scares her by appearing out of her backseat. After Aza recovers, they discover that they know slightly more than the police do since they know about the night vision camera. Daisy points out the reward is for information, and Aza insists on talking to Davis about it before they go to the police. She takes Daisy to work.
Although Daisy insists that she and Aza have power in the form of the night-vision photo, Aza isn't so sure. Aza's hesitancy is again indicative of the fact that she places more value on the emotional wellbeing of Davis than she does in getting the money.
Themes
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Later that night, Daisy calls Aza and says that she spoke with the tip line. She discovered that it's up to Pickett Engineering to decide what information is relevant, and the reward money might never be distributed if they never find Mr. Pickett. Daisy sees receiving the money as a sure thing, but Aza gets a text and hangs up on Daisy.
Pickett Engineering has a great deal of power in this situation, as they have the final say about what information counts as useful. While Aza sees this situation as chaotic, Daisy sees it as under control and a sure thing.
Themes
The text is from Davis. He sends several texts wondering if his money is part of who he is, saying how lonely he is, and apologizing for the texts. Aza finally replies with "hi," and they text about how to define "I." They talk about stargazing, and Davis says that he and Noah are all alone. Aza asks if sharing the information she has will make the situation better or worse, and Davis says that if Mr. Pickett gets caught even though he never reached out to his sons, Noah will be crushed because he believes his dad loves him.
Davis conflates his identity with his money. He seems to insist that his money, not his relationships, define him, as evidenced by his texts about being so lonely. However, Davis fully accepts his role of caregiver for Noah, and is doing his best to try to protect Noah from the unfortunate fact that his father is not a good person.
Themes
Davis texts that his mom's birthday is today, but Noah barely cares because he never knew her. He continues that after you lose a loved one, you realize you'll lose everyone. Aza agrees, and she and Davis say goodnight.
Davis's insistence that he'll lose everyone may be sad, but it’s a way for him to bring order to his world. He sees it as an objective truth, and feels that reminding himself of it will protect him from feeling surprised when he does inevitably lose someone.
Themes
