Planet Earth Is Blue

All the foreshadowing that pointed to Nova having found her “forever family” comes to fruition in the final chapters. Francine knows where to find Nova when she runs away from school. Francine and Billy are aware of how smart and capable Nova is, something that Mrs. Steele didn’t recognize after five years of home visits. Likewise, Joanie learns that Nova’s teddy is called “NASA Bear,” something that Nova thought no one else would ever know. Joanie wishes for a little sister just as Nova longs for Bridget’s return. Nova also recalls that the Wests visited her often in the hospital, and they now tell her that they wanted to adopt her then, but Mrs. Steele made them wait a while. The Wests have always seemed different from the other foster families that Nova had, though she was afraid (for a long time) to count on them. Her crystal-clear communication of her consent for them to adopt her symbolizes the strides that she has made and will continue to make with a family that cares for her and is committed to her well-being.

Thematically, these chapters most clearly demonstrate The Personal Impact of Historic Events. On the day of the launch, the newspaper prints a big article about the Challenger, noting, in part, “On day three of the six-day mission, teacher Christa McAuliffe will teach two fifteen-minute lessons from space, though perhaps the bigger lesson is one she has already taught students: to follow their dreams, no matter how far away doing so may take them” (175). When Billy reads this aloud, Nova shrieks and bounces in her seat in her excitement. She relates so deeply to McAuliffe and is so inspired by her fellow New Hampshirite’s inclusion in the mission that the connection feels deeply personal. She thinks, “Challenger taught kids anyone could have a dream! Anyone could reach the stars!” (176).

Just as the prospect of the Challenger launch inspired Nova to dream of going to space, making that dream seem more possible, its destruction prompts Nova’s realization and memory of Bridget’s death. When the shuttle explodes, Nova thinks, “In real life, all seven astronauts were gone. Forever. And where was Bridget? She hadn’t come” (197). Nova pinned so many hopes and dreams on the Challenger mission, including Bridget’s return, that its ending in catastrophe provokes her to remember and begin to process the other, personal catastrophe that she experienced. Speaking to Bridget in her head, Nova says, “I did not understand it […] until I saw the Challenger explode, but now I do. Now I know sometimes what we want doesn’t matter” (211). Thus, the Challenger takes on new significance to Nova beyond her admiration for and representation by McAuliffe; it helps her begin to process her more personal loss: her sister’s death. However, just as the space program goes on after Challenger, so does Nova after Bridget’s death, and the perspective she gains because of this realization keeps her dream of space travel alive.