60 pages • 2-hour read
Still Me
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Clothes and Fashion
Clothes and fashion work as a recurring symbol and motif throughout the book. As a symbol, a specific item of clothing symbolizes the kindred connection between Louisa and Mrs. De Witt: the silk Biba scarf with the peacock feather print. Given to Louisa in gratitude for finding Dean Martin, the scarf marks the beginning of a positive relationship between the two women and illustrates their shared love of fashion.
As a motif, clothes and fashion serve to highlight the theme of knowing and accepting oneself and presenting oneself accordingly to the rest of the world. This is an idea encapsulated in the epigraph of the book and highlighted by both Louisa’s and Mrs. De Witt’s eclectic taste in fashion. Louisa is made to wear a uniform when working for the Gopniks, which is symbolic of how her individuality is cancelled out as a member of staff in an elite New York household. This is highlighted by how she feels like the discovery of the vintage clothes store comes like a breath of fresh air, as she is reconnected with a part of herself that had been forgotten for a while.
When Louisa moves in with Mrs. De Witt, not only is she able to wear clothes she can express herself with again, but she is also encouraged to do so by Mrs. De Witt. This is representative of the older woman’s acceptance of who Louisa is and her desire to see Louisa own who she truly is. Mrs. De Witt even offers her advice along these lines when she sees Louisa changing parts of herself to please Josh; significantly, it is an incident involving clothes that finally triggers the end of Louisa and Josh’s relationship, one which constantly stifles Louisa’s identity and personal expression. Finally, it is clothes and fashion that give Louisa an avenue for professional and financial freedom: first when she finds employment at the vintage clothes store and later when she opens an outlet of her own using Mrs. De Witt’s bequeathed wardrobe.
The Lavery and the Library
The Lavery and the Washington Heights library work as a pair of symbols that represent the different worlds of New York. The representative characteristics of each serve to highlight opposing characteristics of the other, and this opposition brings out the contrast between the world of New York society and the city’s working class.
The Lavery is the first space Louisa is introduced to. Home to the Gopniks, it is and an upper-end apartment building whose tenants come into possession of flats solely though inheritance from family. This is representative of the highly exclusive world the New York upper class inhabits. One does not gain admission or acceptance simply through new money or marriage; generational wealth and pedigree are important for one to be valued and respected within these circles. This is evidenced by the kind of treatment Agnes receives because of her background despite being Mr. Gopnik’s wife. The residents of the Lavery do not interact with each other, which illustrates the cold and isolated lives led by the people of the upper class, which is more focused on appearance than on true connection.
The library, in contrast, is a public place open to all. Situated in a very different neighborhood than the Lavery, it is a space that welcomes all manner of people without discrimination. The library also serves as a rallying point for the people of the neighborhood. The kind of warmth and community experienced by such a large and diverse population stands in direct contrast to the kind of disconnected and isolated lives lived by the comparatively small population of residents within the Lavery. The library is also a far more relatable space to Louisa, who comes from a socioeconomic background more similar to the people in Washington Heights than people like the Gopniks.
Emails and Letters
Written communication in the form of emails and letters work as a recurring motif throughout the book. These emails and letters serve an expository function by revealing important background details in the story, and they also help advance the plot at different points. Additionally, they illustrate to the theme of the importance of open communication in any relationship.
At the beginning, Louisa requests that Sam write to her often when she moves to New York; his refusal to do so is significant, and the lack of consistent communication between the two eventually leads to them drifting apart and breaking up. Their reconciliation, in turn, is fueled by the regular and honest correspondence they finally indulge in toward the end of the book.
Besides Louisa and Sam’s relationship, emails and letters also play an important role in other relationships in the book. Louisa stays in touch with loved ones, such as her mother and sister, through email, and she feels a sense of comfort and kinship with Will when she rereads his letters. Furthermore, other relationships are repaired with the help of an email exchange: Mrs. De Witt meets her grandson Vincent and eventually reconciles with her estranged son and his family.
Unlock the meaning behind every key symbol & motif
See how recurring imagery, objects, and ideas shape the narrative.
- Explore how the author builds meaning through symbolism
- Understand what symbols & motifs represent in the text
- Connect recurring ideas to themes, characters, and events