The Collected Regrets of Clover

Claudia, Sebastian’s beloved grandmother, epitomizes the complexities of a bygone era and the enduring impact of lost love. As a former photojournalist in the 1950s, Claudia is portrayed as a woman ahead of her time, unafraid to challenge societal norms. Despite her passion for photography and the exciting experiences she once had, Claudia was forced to abandon her career due to societal pressures that expected women to prioritize marriage and family over professional pursuits. In the novel, Claudia is a secondary character. While not a dynamic character, Claudia does undergo changes as she approaches the end of her life. She recognizes that she could have taken another path in life, and she learns to confront her regrets and resentments.

Claudia’s enduring love for Hugo Beaufort, a man she met in France and with whom she shared a trip to Corsica, is at the heart of this character’s end-of-life experience. The lost love is discussed in the second half of the novel and symbolizes the regrets that continue to resonate in many people’s later years. The letters from Hugo arrive at the end of Claudia’s life, inspiring her to reminisce about her youth and cherish the passionate love she once shared. Claudia’s journey is one of reconciliation with her past, as she experiences a resurgence of love and emotion in the twilight of her life. Claudia’s character embodies the enduring power of love and the possibility of redemption and fulfillment, even when time seems to have run its course.

Claudia also acts as a role model and mother figure for Clover. She reminds Clover that living life to the fullest means taking risks, and she encourages Clover to take risks and open her heart to love. In addition, Claudia indirectly brings the younger Hugo, who proves to be Clover’s chance at love, into Clover’s life.

Sylvie is Clover’s vibrant and supportive friend throughout the narrative. Her character is marked by a blend of empathy, free-spiritedness, and a strong sense of self. Sylvie serves as a close friend and confidante to Clover. Her warm and welcoming nature provides a stark contrast to Clover’s introspective and often reserved disposition. In Clover’s journey of self-discovery and personal growth, Sylvie’s character evolves from a merely supportive friend to an instrumental figure. However, Sylvie is a static character without her own character arc in the novel.

Furthermore, Sylvie’s character plays an essential role in pushing the narrative toward the themes of love, friendship, and self-acceptance. Her friendship with Clover, especially after Clover’s confusion about her relationship with the neighbors, showcases the importance of forgiveness and understanding in relationships. In addition, Sylvie introduces Clover to new experiences and perspectives, encouraging her to embrace life’s unpredictability. Sylvie’s character deeply contrasts with Clover’s other experiences of friendship, which mostly ended in disappointment. Sylvie’s presence shows Clover that she is safe and can open herself up to forming new relationships.

Sebastian’s character is defined by a blend of privilege, curiosity, and hidden vulnerability. He contrasts Clover’s reserved personality, exuding a more carefree and adventurous spirit. Sebastian is a static character. His main role in the narrative is to introduce change into Clover’s life. Sebastian is the active character in relation to Clover, who, until the second part of the novel, acts passively. Although their relationship is confusing and frustrating for Clover (and for Sebastian as well), Sebastian’s directness awakens Clover from her passivity toward life. Highlighting the theme of interconnectedness, Sebastian also plays a role in Clover’s growth by introducing Claudia, who serves as a role model to Clover and who leads Clover to Hugo, who becomes Clover’s love interest.

Sebastian’s privileged background and seemingly carefree lifestyle also has a dark side: his family’s emotional restraint and inability to speak about the approaching death of their beloved matriarch, Claudia. Sebastian’s family represents the Western approach to death, which does not acknowledge it as a normal part of life. Instead, Sebastian’s family shuts down all expressions of emotions related to death.

However, Sebastian is open to exploring vulnerability in relation to death. Sebastian, unlike his family, is introspective and sensitive. He has an artistic side as a cello player. Clover’s relationship with Sebastian evolves from the tension of their meeting to a potential love connection and, finally, to the characters’ conflict and reconciliation. Sebastian is often portrayed as the opposite of Clover, which does not necessarily make him an antagonist. He is late when she is always on time, and he is happy not to pay for a drink forgotten by the bartender, whereas Clover acts decorously. Furthermore, he is allergic to animals, while Clover has three pets, and he is frivolous in love when Clover is extremely cautious. Although these traits prevent him from connecting romantically with Clover, they expose her to another way of life. Although she does not agree with his habits, she recognizes that at least he is open enough to life to fall in love and experience emotions authentically.

Despite his limited appearances in the novel, Clover’s grandfather carries substantial emotional weight and symbolism throughout the narrative. He represents a figure of guidance and wisdom, along with the enduring influence of a loved one who has passed away. Clover’s relationship with her grandfather, both when he was alive and after his passing, is integral to the story’s exploration of death, grief, and the quest for understanding and acceptance.

The grandfather appears solely in Clover’s memory flashbacks and reflections. In the narrative, he is characterized by the loving, nurturing bond he shares with Clover, which Clover later learns was motivated by his absence from her mother’s life due to his devotion to work. Her grandfather was an academic who viewed life as a ground for observation. He is portrayed as a source of comfort and stability in Clover’s life. After his passing, his presence lingers in the form of the various belongings and mementos that fill Clover’s rent-controlled apartment, which he passed down to her. This clutter of items serves as a reminder of the complex emotions surrounding the loss of loved ones and the difficulty of letting go. Clover eventually lets go of many of her grandfather’s belongings, making space in her life for new experiences.

Clover’s grandfather is an essential element in the novel’s exploration of death, grief, and personal growth. His influence extends far beyond his physical existence, guiding Clover in her choices and helping her find her path in life.

Leo is a significant secondary character in The Collected Regrets of Clover. He serves as a mentor and guide, providing Clover with insights into death and the importance of living life fully. Leo is a compassionate and wise older friend. Despite his own struggles with illness, Leo offers valuable lessons to Clover. At the end of his life, he chooses to embrace death in peace and without regrets.

As a longtime friend to Clover, Leo serves as a reassuring presence during her journey to open up to life. A few significant chapters in which Clover spends time with Leo portray their warm friendship, which transcends stereotypes about intergenerational friendships. Leo’s experience of grief for his deceased wife as well as his continuous involvement in life and the community offer an alternative model of life to Clover’s passive and introspective existence.

Ultimately, Leo’s character underscores the central theme of the book, which is the importance of living authentically and accepting death as an inevitable part of human experience. His character serves as a powerful reminder that, even in the face of mortality, individuals can find solace, meaning, and beauty in their lives.