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Chapter 18: 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
After leaving the pool, Stella and Will walk around until morning. Stella points out a cluster of holiday lights at a nearby park. Will always looks at the same lights when he goes up to the hospital’s roof. Stella says that she and Abby used to go see the lights together every year. Abby used to make a secret wish every time, but Stella knows that she always wished for Stella to get new lungs.
Stella and Will look at each other’s reflection in a window. Stella kisses Will’s reflection. Suddenly, Stella sees a text from Poe that Barb is looking for her and Will. Stella sprints to the neonatal intensive care unit, knowing Barb will look for her there, and pretends to be asleep on a couch. They don’t get caught. They spend the rest of the day sneaking notes under each other’s doors. The next day is Will’s 18th birthday, and Stella makes a plan to surprise him.
Stella knows that if Barb catches her and Will breaking the hospital rules, she will be furious and possibly not allow them to see each other anymore. Will is planning on abandoning his drug trials once he turns 18, but with Stella’s influence he is also starting to become more motivated to take care of his health.
Themes
