Daisy Haites

“I roll my eyes at him, walk away and ahead, try to chase after that stupid heart of mine that’s riding off into the sunset with a boy who doesn’t like me like that. Just sex. Friends who do it. ‘Bang one out’ as my brother so delicately puts it…I wish it was like that, that’s what I wanted from that first night.”

Daisy’s unrequited feelings for Christian introduce the novel’s thematic interest in The Complexities of Navigating Love and Betrayal. Daisy’s internal monologue reveals that she is in love with Christian but doubts that he loves her back. The image of Christian “riding off into the sunset” evokes notions of fantasy and idealism. She wishes they could be more than friends and sexual partners, but her melancholy tone in this passage implies that she doesn’t know how to evolve their intimate dynamic.

“When I was a kid, if there was something happening at the house that no one wanted me to see or hear, Julian would bring me into the laundry room. He’d put on our old washing machine, even if it was empty. Sometimes he’d put coins in there so it made a louder sound.”

Daisy’s relationship with laundry, the laundry room, and her washing machine conveys her longing for normalcy. She sees this domestic setting and task as a symbolic act, maintaining order, safety, and calm in her life. This passage reveals that her attachment to the laundry room stems from her childhood, when it served as a place that protected her from fear and danger. She derives the same comfort from it as an adult.

“I nearly feel bad for a second because it’s all over her face how hurt she is—imagining what the person she loves is doing with someone else, it fucks you up. But you know what? Join the fucking club, Parks.”

Christian’s internal monologue while watching Magnolia Parks reiterates the complexities of navigating love and betrayal. Christian and Magnolia haven’t been together in some time, but Christian still has feelings for her.