56 pages • 1 hour read
Jennifer NivenHolding Up The Universe
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2016A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Pages 402-449Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Pages 402-449 Summary
Jack’s rejection has sent Libby into an emotional spiral. She goes to the local Walgreen’s to stock up on junk food for an apparent binge, but before she can check out, she starts to feel a panic attack coming on. She runs into the parking lot and passes out, which reminds her of the rescue incident three years ago. She gets herself up and returns home where she puts on her purple bikini and begins typing on her laptop.
Libby’s near-binge brings readers to the next section of the novel, titled “The Next Day.” Libby she attends her gym class’s first swimming session. Instead of wearing the school-regulated swimsuit, though, Libby walks into the Aquatic Center in her purple bikini and “I am wanted” written across her stomach in permanent marker. She climbs out of the pool and still clad in her bikini, Libby heads to the school’s main hallway where she stands in front of everyone. She and Iris start passing out sheets of paper printed with Libby’s “Treatise for the World” (424) that she has penned in response to her anonymous letter writer/harasser. Libby’s note explains that she is wanted—by her family, friends, even boys—and concludes with encouragement for everyone. She writes, “YOU ARE WANTED. Big, small, tall, short, pretty, plain, friendly, shy. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, even yourself” (427). Although her stunt lands Libbyin Principal Wasserman’s office, the principal lets her off with a warning and an order to come back if shereceives more harassing notes.
The plot then shifts back to Jack. When Jack’s dad and Monica Chapman walk into Masselin’s Toys together, Jack loses his temper. Returning home, he trashes the basement. Jack’s dad walks in and tells Jack that he is ending his affair with Monica. Later, at the last Conversation Circle, Mr. Levine has the students sit in a circle and say five positive things about each other. Jack cannot stop himself from listing many more positive things about Libby, including, “You are who you are. You know who that is, and you aren’t afraid of it” (442). As for Libby, she has just one thing to say to Jack: “You’re actually not a bad guy […] but I’m not sure you know it yet” (444).
After the meeting, Jack catches up to Libby and thanks her for what she said about him. He also encourages her now that her bikini stunt has gone viral.He tells Libby that she will inspire other girls who are struggling with bullying and body issues. At home later, Jack gives Dusty—who is still not speaking to him—the completed robot, which he has programmed to refer to Dusty by name.
Pages 402-449 Analysis
Libby’s incident at the convenience store represents a turning point for her: it is the moment at which she finally decides to fully embrace the “be yourself” philosophy of her mother, a philosophy that so far has been an inconsistent part of her identity. In buying the junk food and preparing to go on a binge, Libby almost regresses back to the “stay home” approach that necessitated her rescue three years ago. Her awakening from the panic attack in the Walgreen’s parking lot represents a metaphorical rebirth for Libby; she comes to, she comments, “This feeling comes over me. It’s this kind of quiet, peaceful feeling, and that’s her, that’s my mom. I want it to last, to keep her with me” (409). In this moment, Libby does two things. First, she finds a way through the grief of losing her mother and makes meaning out of the loss. Secondly, she fully commits to her mother’s advice to live boldly and openly; Libby enacts this revelation through her stunt with the purple bikini and “treatise” at school the next day.
Meanwhile, Jack still struggles to accept this philosophy as part of Libby’s identity. Despite missing “everything” about her, he cannot wrap his mind around her radical acceptance of her identity (449). Readers see this when Jack bluntly tells Libby, “You need to put some clothes on” during her bikini protest (424). The comment is a step back for Jack because it is perhaps the worst thing he could say to Libby at this moment. It is his attempt to stifle her identity, his way of telling her to conform. However, the comment also reveals that Jack has yet to leave his own safe space; he still clings to his identity, even if that means suffering through his prosopagnosia alone. Jack still feels the need to fit in, to be normal, which Libby flat-out rejects. This leaves Jack in conflict—he is initially embarrassed by Libby’s actions because he cannot separate her weight from shame, but he also admires her boldness.
Finally, Libby’s “treatise” ends with an important message for not only the characters of the novel but for Niven’s audience: “YOU ARE WANTED” (427). At an age when young people struggle to figure out just who they are, they can often become their own worst enemies. They can let their own insecurities—as amplified by their peers—dictate both their sense of self and self-worth. Libby can share this message specifically because of her metaphorical rebirth, where she fully embraces who she is, flaws and all. That is not to say that Libby’s identity is now immutable. After all, one argument that Niven makes is that identities are never permanently fixed in place. However, in this moment at least, Libby knows who she is—and she likes it.
