56 pages 1 hour read

Sunburn

Fiction | Novel | Adult

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Symbols & Motifs

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of antigay bias.

Lucy and Susannah’s Letters

Lucy and Susannah exchange letters for most of the novel. These letters are symbolic of their intimacy and the secrecy of their relationship. In the letters, they can express themselves more clearly and directly, confessing their love to one another and discussing how they can spend the rest of their lives together. In real life, however, they can barely be physically intimate without hiding in one of their respective homes, and even that intimacy is then interrupted by Lucy’s mother.


Critically, Lucy writes the first letter to Susannah because she is afraid of her mother listening to her phone calls. Susannah suggests the letter spitefully, which is an early indication that Susannah does not want their relationship to be a secret. As they continue writing letters, a couple of instances reaffirm the importance of the letters to their sense of intimacy. The other girls try to start writing letters to each other as well, but it does not catch on in the friend group. Lucy and Susannah find this attempt tedious and childish since their letters are not only fun but also critical to their closeness. Likewise, Martin asks Lucy to move to Dublin in a letter, which enflames Susannah.

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