So we're going to use a broad umbrella here. Isolation, or aloneness, is a big theme in Eleanor & Park, and we think that includes the feeling of being different, and not fitting in. There are many kinds of isolation at work in this story—the isolation Eleanor feels because she's new at school and because she's targeted by bullies; the isolation Park experiences in his own family since he doesn't feel he's like his dad or his brother.
In a way, both Eleanor and Park are isolated from their peers, set apart by their interests and their personalities. And then there's Eleanor's actual, physical isolation. She's so cut off from the world in Richie's house that she doesn't even have a phone line.
Questions About Isolation
- When Eleanor starts school with Park, she's immediately bullied by the other kids. Why do you think she's so instantly cut off from the rest of the group?
- When we meet Park, he's isolating himself using headphones and music. Does Park want to be isolated, or not? Why does he pull away from his peers?
- Richie isolates Eleanor's family from the world, even refusing to let Sabrina drive a car. Why do you think he does this?
- Eleanor pulls away from Park at the end of the book, cutting off communication for months. Why do you think she doesn't write or call?
Chew on This
Park keeps his distance from the kids on the bus, but he doesn't really like feeling alone.
Sometimes Eleanor isolates herself deliberately, but sometimes her family's responsible.