The Woods

The lack of closure regarding the events at Camp PLUS past haunts the novel’s characters, particularly Lucy and Paul, throughout their lives. As the mystery resurfaces, they must confront the lies, shame, and pain they’ve been running away from, which challenge them to overcome the fear of what they might learn.

For example, Lucy concealed that she unknowingly helped Wayne Steubens kill the teens at Camp PLUS by purposely drawing Paul away from his guard post. Ira helped Lucy hide this fact, but the guilt continues to trouble her. She’s so afraid of confronting the past that she changes her name and appearance and moves from place to place, trying to outrun her history. Lucy explains how she feels her life has been a constant struggle to forget the murders: “But the past always followed. Sometimes it would let her gain a comfortable lead—lulled her into thinking she had put enough distance between that night and the present day—but the dead always closed the gap” (156). In addition, Lucy pushed Paul away in the crime’s aftermath because she didn’t want him to know what she did. The inconclusiveness of their intense relationship leaves Lucy with questions and regrets about what their future might have been.