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Chapter 10: Will
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Five Feet Apart, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Love and Sacrifice
Death, Grief, and Guilt
Risk and Consequences
Survival, Terminal Illness, and Hope
Hardship and Family Dynamics
Summary
Analysis
Back in her room, Stella remembers when Abby left on her trip to Arizona. Stella was supposed to go, too, but she had a flare-up and had to stay home. Abby died on the trip in an accident while she was cliff diving. Stella’s parents grew apart after Abby’s death, and they got divorced six months later. Since then, Stella’s sole purpose has been to stay alive to make sure her parents are okay. She texts Poe to meet her in the lounge.
This is the first time the novel fully explains the circumstances of Abby’s death. Stella feels responsible for Abby’s death because Stella was supposed to be in Arizona with Abby at the time, but of course there is nothing Stella could have possibly done to prevent the accident.
Themes
Abby was the one who introduced Poe to Stella on her first day in the hospital. In the lounge, Stella tells Poe how hurtful it was that Will mentioned Abby’s death so casually. Stella says that she should’ve been there with Abby in Arizona, but Poe reassures her that Abby’s death isn’t Stella’s fault. Later, Stella realizes that the infection at her G-tube entrance is a lot worse. Dr. Hamid decides she needs surgery the following morning. The surgery is risky because Stella’s lung function is so low, and Stella is terrified.
Just as Barb has become like a family member to Stella, so has Poe. This is partially a result of the long periods Stella has spent in the hospital throughout her life, but it also speaks to the power of hardship and sickness to bring people together. On the other hand, the characters’ sicknesses also interfere with their relationships with their blood family members. Thus, hardship can disrupt some relationships while serving as a bonding experience for others.
Themes
