Risk and Consequences Theme Analysis

The balance between taking risks and suffering potential consequences largely rules the lives of the novel’s main characters. Stella and Will’s romance is defined by their longing, yet inability, to be physically close. They both know that if they get within six feet of each other they risk transferring Will’s bacterial infection to Stella, which would cost Stella her life. Despite this harrowing reality, they each decide, on various occasions, to cross the six-foot boundary. At first, Stella refuses to take any risks that might endanger her. But after she survives a life-threatening surgery, Stella decides to “steal” one foot of space back from everything cystic fibrosis has taken from her, and she and Will only stay five feet apart instead of the recommended six. Stella and Will both deem this risk worth the consequences—it may be slightly more likely that Stella will contract Will’s infection from this closer distance, but they are both happier to be in closer proximity to each other.

On another occasion, Stella takes a risk by planning a surprise party for Will, against the hospital rules. The party is so fun that it is worth the risk for everyone who attends, even though nurse Barb ends up catching and punishing them. Stella and Will push the boundaries of how close they should be from each other many times, but they draw the line when Stella gets a lung transplant, and being near Will becomes even riskier. For the sake of Stella’s health, Will decides to cut their contact entirely. This decision comes with its own set of consequences—Stella and Will trade the fear of getting caught, or Stella getting sick, for the emotional devastation of losing each other. Every risk has consequences, but, the novel suggests, some risks are worth taking if the potential for human closeness outweighs the potential cost.