The Bright Years

In The Bright Years, several characters experience trauma that impacts their lives from the decisions they make to the emotions they feel. Ryan’s story, in particular, highlights the way that generational trauma resonates through a family. As a survivor of his father’s abuse, Ryan strives to overcome the trauma of his past, and with his trajectory over the course of the novel, Damoff illustrates how difficult it can be to break the cycle of generational trauma, even as one consciously strives for it.

Through Lillian’s point of view, Damoff tracks the ups and downs of her relationship with Ryan and their direct connection to the trauma they have both faced. As Lillian reflects on the instability of their relationship, she realizes that a large part of it is due to their trauma: “[I]t was our pain that pulled us together like magnets, that medicinal click of solidarity between two hurting people […] But as powerful as pain might be, it was never going to keep us together. It grew strong enough to flip the magnets, pushing us apart” (91). At first, Lillian sees Ryan as someone who understands her, knowing the pain of losing a parent, but Ryan’s connection to Barton is complicated by his father’s abuse and addiction.