57 pages • 1 hour read
Not Quite Dead Yet
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Themes
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of child death, graphic violence, cursing, illness, and death.
The Value of Living in the Present
Jet’s defining characteristic throughout the first part of Not Quite Dead Yet is her dissatisfaction with her current life. She insists that she can fix it in the future but makes no real effort to do so. With her diagnosis, however, Jet’s focus shifts to the present, and as her story develops, the novel explores the benefits of enjoying everyday life and living in the now.
When the novel begins, Jet feels miserable in her current life and is constantly looking toward the future. She has no job and spends her time coming up with different ideas, like an app for dog walking, that she hopes will make money with minimal effort. She has dropped out of school and returned home to live with her parents, while also despising both her family and the people of Woodstock. Even after she learns she is going to die, she lashes out against her family, isolates herself, and focuses on the investigation, which she has determined will define her legacy and be the “something big” she always dreamed of doing. Jet’s thoughts and actions are rooted in her indeterminate vision for her future, emphasizing her inability to enjoy and value her present everyday life.
