Big Little Lies

Characters often reflect on or suppress their memories. Madeline’s primary conflict revolves around her changing relationship with Abigail. In Madeline’s chapters, she often thinks back on raising Abigail as a single mom before marrying Ed. When Abigail plans to move in with her dad, Madeline painfully thinks, “Remember, Abigail? Remember us?” (157). Madeline’s happy memories makes the present difficult for her, resulting in a long and drawn out familial conflict. Additionally, Nathan triggers negative memories whenever Madeline sees him. Not only does Madeline deal with a changing Abigail, but her daughter is confiding in the man Madeline remembers so clearly leaving them stranded. Madeline struggles with her memories and how they filter the present moment throughout the entire story, only coming to reconcile with Nathan at the end of the novel.

Jane suppresses Perry’s assault regularly. However, this stops her from reducing the assault’s power over her. Luckily, after Jane talks to Madeline, she recognizes that talking about the memory dilutes it, demonstrating how painful memories can be healthily addressed. Additionally, by having Jane suppress her memory, Moriarty creates suspense. Revealing what happened to Jane is both healthy for her and satisfying for the reader. 

At crucial moments, the weather in Pirriwee intensifies the mood of the scene. The beach, for example, is used in a positive way when Jane and Tom kiss at the end of the novel. As Tom surprises Jane with a kiss, she discovers “that first kisses didn’t necessarily require darkness and alcohol, they could happen in the open air, with the sun warm on your face and everything around you honest and good” (476). On its own, Jane and Tom’s relationship already signifies that Jane has healed by the end of the story. The beautiful seaside environment enhances the romantic tone of the kiss and suggests that Jane no longer has any doubts about staying in Pirriwee.

Weather also enhances the point of highest conflict: the trivia night. Up until the trivia night, rain never appears in the novel. Moriarty’s choice to employ weather details she has previously not utilized makes the trivia night visually striking. By the time the evening is over, many of the characters are crying. The balcony is likewise slippery, at the moment when many of the characters are at their most unstable. While rain can make scenes more dramatic, and environments more dangerous, it also can be used positively. By the end of trivia night, the identity of the bully has been solved, and Perry is dead. Two heavy weights have been lifted off the characters. The problems begin to wash away, almost as if they got caught in the rain. 

Celeste often hides her arms to conceal the bruises from Perry. In an early scene, her son Josh yanks her arm, unknowingly hurting her because of the bruises. Celeste’s arm is bruised and injured throughout her marriage to Perry: evidence of his abuse and an external symbol of her tormented mental state. Much later, in Chapter 80, Bonnie visits Celeste after Perry’s death. As the two women talk, “[Bonnie] stepped forward and put her hand on Celeste’s arm” (467) and Celeste never flinches in pain. The small detail of Celeste’s healed bruises signifies that her wounds are beginning to heal without needing to rely on dialogue or overdone exposition.