The novel is set against the intense political polarization of the 2020s in the United States, a period marked by fierce “culture wars” that have often played out in local communities and school systems. A central battleground in this broader ideological struggle is the teaching of American history. Since 2021, 44 separate states have introduced or passed bills to restrict instruction on what they termed “divisive concepts,” particularly regarding race and systemic inequality. These efforts have often targeted the academic framework of critical race theory, a school of thought that first coalesced in the 1970s and acknowledges “that racism in America is structural and systemic” and is baked into the country’s laws and institutions, not simply arising in individual biases and prejudices (Brown, Gita. “One of the Most Misunderstood Terms of the Century: Critical Race Theory.” Rhode Island College, 22 Feb. 2023.) Supporters of this academic movement have observed that “the phrase [critical race theory] has been distorted from its original meaning and used by opponents to refer to any class discussion focused on race or gender” (Brown).

As a result of widespread legislation to limit or curate official curricula for political reasons, many educators contend that the educational system in the United States has become a “minefield” for teachers who are “trying to figure out how to teach topics such as [enslavement], Jim Crow laws or the Holocaust” (Gross, Terry. “From Slavery to Socialism, New Legislation Restricts What Teachers Can Discuss.” NPR, Feb. 2023). Strong opinions on both sides have fueled contentious school board meetings and campaigns nationwide, transforming local education into a proxy for national political conflicts. In The Things We Never Say, Strout critiques this real-world issue by describing Artie’s baffled dismay over certain parents’ demands that he allow space for a more sympathetic portrayal of “the Confederate side” in his Civil War classes (72). The novel’s depiction of this conflict thus reflects the current push in American politics to reshape school curricula and rewrite history to align with a particular political ideology and downplay documented instances of racism or the systemic marginalization of vulnerable social groups.

Chronologically, the first part of the novel is set during the lead-up to the United States’ 47th presidential election, in which Republican candidate (and previous US president) Donald Trump defeated Democratic candidate (and then-vice president) Kamala Harris and went on to make decisions that dramatically altered the tenor of US politics, economics, and international relations. In this light, Artie and Evie’s uneasy conversations about the “incoming president” are designed to capture the country’s wider atmosphere of political dread and ideological conflict. As Artie and his loved ones frequently discuss the nation’s deep divisions, the rise of an authoritarian political figure, and the increasing cruelties of government policies, Artie’s growing despair is explicitly linked to this political climate. His private turmoil and sense of alienation are therefore presented as symptoms of a troubled society grappling with existential threats to its democratic norms and social fabric. In this light, his ultimate role in the story is to mirror the fears and anxieties felt by many people struggling to make sense of this turbulent period in history.