Relationships

//Relationships Within the Novel //
**Family Relationships**


 * Mother and Father**

In the beginning of the novel, Nico and Margaret's mother and father are depicted as the loving couple who have been able to withstand the test of time. They are extremely loving of one another, and the lines of connection between them are both open and honest. There is a sense of peacefulness when Nico describes her parents, often calling them "hippies" of the modern day era for their harmony and lack of fighting. After Margaret's death, however, the nature of the relationship changes. Both parents go into a complete state of denial, but they handle it in different ways. Nico's father tries to handle the tragedy by focusing on his book, while her mother goes into a state of delusion, through self-medication and avoidance of reality. Though the couple never seems to actually fight about the issue, the death of their eldest daughter rips them apart to the point where they cease to be a true familial unit.


 * Parents and Children**

As a whole, the parents and two daughters have a seemingly good relationship. Though some quarrels occur within the family, it is nothing more than the normal disagreements parents have with their children. Both daughters adore their parents, and have solid bonds with each. The parents, however, tend to favor Margaret over Nico; this is extremely evident within Nico's narration, to the point where there may be a tinge of jealousy. Though both parents claim to love both daughters equally, Nico seems to sometimes feel "out of place" within her own family. This feeling only worsens with Margaret's departure. Now, on top of feeling "out of place", Nico must deal with being the only surviving daughter of the family. Her relationships with her parents become strained, and though they all try to hold on to each other for comfort, the relationship between Nico and her parents becomes a comparison of the two daughters. In order to please her parents and everyone around her, Nico tries to become a spitting image of Margaret, and loses herself in the process. Eventually, Nico finds a way to interact with her parents that is as close to normal as she could possibly get. Though the family still feels the loss of Margaret, they try to act as a unit as best they can, and Nico tries to forge relationships with both of her parents, that are uniquely her own.


 * Nico and Margaret / Nico and Aaron**

Nico is a complex young woman. She's an adolescent, yet all in the first few pages we learn she doesn't enjoy the weekend; she worries about global warming and the "polar ice caps melting." She seems to have an almost unhealthy concern about death and disaster -- the algae in the lake, her sister's heart condition, and a troubling fascination with her own potential heart problems. She clearly loves Margaret, and is perhaps even a little jealous of her, as is mentioned above. She doubts she'll ever truly grow out of her own "pudgy awkwardness" to look anything at all like her sister. Still, Nico wishes she "could have been like her instead of the kind of person [she is]." She enjoys spending time with Margaret and Aaron, too, which is probably a sign of her attempts to live vicariously through her sister. This idea becomes more apparent as her relationship with Aaron becomes more serious -- and potentially dangerous. She yearns to see him and lies to her parents in order to ensure they don't find out about their visits together. But Nico's youthful naivete clouds her judgement and blinds her to Aaron's growing interest. Her love for Margaret, and her desire to see her again is strangely fulfilled with the secret relationship she has with Aaron. She wears Margaret's clothes when she meets him. They listen to the same music Aaron and Margaret once did and share ice cream together. But as Aaron slowly becomes more and more unhinged with grief, his personality changes. He directs flashes of anger at Nico likely because she cannot live up to his own vision of Margaret. As this ocurrs, Nico slowly begins to understand she must construct her own identity and break free from her irrational and unhealthy preoccupation with him. It almost happens too late.