61 pages • 2 hours read
Sarah DessenAlong for the Ride
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2009A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Effects of Divorce
Divorce and its rippling effects on a family shape the lives of many of the novel’s characters. Victoria and Robert get divorced when Auden is a high school sophomore. Their relationship is tumultuous and competitive, especially regarding their careers. Both professors, their arguments usually began at dinner over offensive remarks that expanded into sharp barbs and banged dishes, then postponed until later at night, when they thought Auden was asleep. At first, Auden found a strategy to stop her parents from arguing: “I left my door open, my light on, took pointed, obvious trips to the bathroom, washing my hands as loudly as possible. And for a while, it worked. Until it didn’t and the fights started up again. But by then my body was used to staying up way late, which meant I was now awake for every single word” (6). When her parents said they were separating, Auden didn’t feel surprised, disappointed, or relieved, but “small, like a child” (7). Thus, Auden’s insomnia and her stoic, grown-up nature develop due to her parents’ chaotic relationship and divorce.
Although Auden doesn’t realize it, enduring her parents’ confrontations caused her to close herself off from others. Her private, isolated disposition increased after the divorce, as she focused even more on her studies and learned to rely on only herself. She’s not receptive to love or emotional conversations, even feeling uncomfortable when her brother gets too “sentimental” or Heidi discusses her feelings at length.
Auden represses her feelings about the divorce until she erupts after hearing Heidi and her father having a heated argument while on the newspaper route with Eli: “I thought I’d been fine as I backed away from my dad’s house [...] Fine as I slid in, picking up another paper to throw. [...] And the next thing I knew, I wasn’t. It’s always embarrassing to cry in front of anyone. But bursting into tears in front of Eli was downright humiliating” (263). Because memories of her parents’ conflicts are reawakened by Heidi and Robert, Auden must finally cope with the divorce and how it affected her and her family. She’s afraid of facing these memories and embarrassed to show emotions. She is also fearful that Heidi and Robert’s separation will lead to divorce, which could affect Thisbe negatively. Her honest, raw sentiments in front of Eli deepen their connection, despite Auden thinking she ruined three years of “total stoicism” in one night (265).
In this scene, Auden sobs to Eli and shares her truths about how she cannot stand failure, and that she didn’t just fail at being social, but at “keeping [her] parents together” (265). Though Eli comforts her, then shares his feelings about losing Abe, she steps back from her relationship with him soon after. Partly due to Jason’s influence, Auden returns to her old ways and shuts out others, choosing her studies over her romance with Eli and her new friendships.
In contrast to Auden, her older brother Hollis escaped some of the divorce’s ramifications by traveling. His adventures in Europe helped him remain a child and deal with his parents’ divorce. Victoria doesn’t let anyone get close to her, perhaps as a result of her difficult relationship with Robert. She advises Auden to only have flings, and she’s secretive about her romance with Finn. Hollis reveals that Victoria broke up with Finn because she didn’t want to get serious. He explains that Victoria has done this before since the divorce—casually dated men but never entered a serious relationship. Hollis admits he used to be like Victoria, only having flings, until he met Laura and solved his commitment issues, which likely stemmed from their parents’ traumatic divorce.
Perseverance and Second Chances
Staying determined and working hard instead of giving up are pertinent to the novel’s trajectory, especially for Auden and Robert. While bowling with Eli, Auden feels frustrated about her inability to achieve success. Eli teaches her that she can’t expect to get a strike immediately. Likewise, when they complete a newspaper route for Eli’s friend, Auden’s throws are way off the mark. Unlike academics, which come naturally, bowling and throwing newspapers aren’t easy. Auden admits she’s fine if she isn’t talented at physics or learning a new language because they take work and practice, but activities like bowling should be simple. She isn’t used to failing and wants to give up instead of investing time in these useless skills. Eli reveals the major theme of perseverance when he says during their newspaper route, “it’s okay to not be good at everything” (259). For instance, he practiced for years to be a professional biker, and his perseverance earned him trophies and a sponsorship. Eli teaches Auden that if you don’t succeed the first time, that’s okay and expected; you just continue trying.
The symbol of bikes is deeply linked to the theme of perseverance and second chances. Though she thinks she can ride, Auden rode a bike only a few times as a child. With Maggie and Adam as her instructors, Auden slowly learns to ride. She crashes often, earning scrapes and injuries, but she doesn’t give up. Instead, she keeps getting back on the bike, thinking of Eli:
What I thought about the most, though, when I was on the bike, was my quest. At the time, it had seemed like a silly little game, something to pass the time, but now, I was understanding it was so much more [...] Night after night, task after task, he’d helped me to return to my past and make some things—if not everything—right. Eli had given me all these second chances, presented like a gift. In the end, though, I was one short. [...] Still, as I pedaled around the jump park lot…I wished I could show him this one thing (313-14).
She practices riding daily in the hopes of completing her quest not only for herself, but to win Eli back and to propel forward into the unknown one turn of the wheel at a time. Through biking, Auden learns that she shouldn’t give up if she fails at first and that she should get back on the bike, which will earn greater rewards of accomplishment.
Second chances are significant and mentioned multiple times throughout the book. Robert has a second chance with Heidi and Thisbe to be a father and husband. He and Victoria were both at fault for the divorce, but Robert often failed to compromise. With Heidi, he hasn’t changed. He spends most of his time writing, not engaging with his new baby or assisting Heidi. He doesn’t compromise, even complaining when he must be the caretaker for one night when Heidi goes to meet her girlfriends. After her father and Heidi separate, Auden confronts him. She tells him he needs to stop making excuses because he is lucky to have a second chance with Heidi and Thisbe. He can’t give up on them, especially for Thisbe’s sake, and needs to show his love rather than just quit. After all, Robert just finished the novel he worked on for 10 years, proving he can be tenacious when he wants to be. Auden thinks about biking, how her father doesn’t stay on the bike if there is the slightest wobble, much less stay on for a crash and choose to get back on. Robert returns to his family and develops a more giving, persistent attitude thanks to Auden’s speech.
Heidi opens up to Auden about how even though her relationship with Robert can be difficult, she never has to wonder about the chance she didn’t take with him. Heidi explains that after business school, she planned to open her boutique in New York City, but her mother got sick. She met Robert while waiting tables at Last Chance but still went to NYC after the summer. Heidi reconsidered her plan and returned to marry Robert, the love of her life, and start a family, opening Clementine’s in her hometown instead. Heidi’s story encourages Auden that it’s never too late to change your mind and follow an opportunity that calls to you.
Furthermore, Auden often reflects on having a “second chance” to experience the opportunities she missed during her childhood. Auden’s quest is a prime example of this theme, for she and Eli accomplish a list of activities she’s never tried—from bowling to food fights to dancing at a club. Auden gets a chance to live her childhood through the quest, learning to have fun and developing strong, lasting connections with girlfriends and Eli. Because she invested in the quest, Auden learned to be more social, courageous, assertive, earnest, and emotionally open. She became a more well-rounded person. At the end of the novel, Auden explains to Eli that she believes in not only second chances but “in however many you might need to get it right” (375). Her journey created a new, healthy view of perseverance after failure, as well as a passion for grasping chances instead of letting them pass by.
Personal Freedom and Change
Auden’s story displays a coming of age in which she steps into her power. First, she volunteers to help with Thisbe to give Heidi a chance to sleep. Auden continues to walk, rock, sing, or play with Thisbe throughout the book, sometimes without being asked. Usually, she isn’t so generous with her time. Auden is usually stoic, concentrated on her studies, and introverted. When she moves in with her father and Heidi, though, she opens up to spending time with her family and connecting with them, especially Heidi and Thisbe. She cannot deny her growing affection for the baby and her stepmother, who she misjudged at first as flimsy and unintelligent. She learns Heidi is a savvy businesswoman and a kind, capable, and supportive mother.
When she pushes herself to change drastically, however, Auden makes a mistake. She hooks up with Jake but wishes she would have waited for someone special. She tried to be like her mother: the woman who could have a fling and not care. After this mistake, Auden honors who she is and changes naturally, instead of forcing it. For example, when she works at the boutique, she slowly befriends the caring, outgoing, fun-loving girls who work there. Maggie, Esther, and Leah welcome her into their friend group, a bond Auden has never experienced. She gains a social life, learning how to have “girl talk,” vent and share inside jokes, and enjoy the nightlife with others instead of by herself. She learns how to hang out and cherishes relationships with the girls and Eli, valuing these connections.
When Victoria critiques Heidi’s store as a symbol of Auden changing for the worse, Auden finds the strength to stand up for herself. She denies her mother’s accusations and defends Heidi: “Heidi’s not completely ditzy though. [...] She’s actually a pretty sharp businesswoman. [...] I know because I’m doing her books. [...] She’s just not what she appears” (119-20). Before, Auden would never have disagreed with her mother or championed Heidi, but she knows the woman better now and feels ashamed she misjudged her. Plus, Heidi has been nothing but considerate to Auden, even giving her a job to earn money before college.
Victoria judges Auden’s transformation negatively, as though Heidi has influenced her to become foolish and boy-crazy rather than a serious academic who has never conformed to the feminine ideal or been distracted by boys. Despite her mother’s criticism, Auden recognizes that she can be her own person who ironically lives out Victoria’s advice: “When have I ever taught you to take another person’s view on anything?” (121). Likewise, when her mother wants insight into Robert and Heidi so they can laugh about the couple’s woes, Auden doesn’t reveal private information about them. She chooses to tell Victoria the minimum as she doesn’t want to make fun of Heidi or her father anymore. Victoria also confidently tells her that people don’t change. Yet Auden learns that people can surprise you, like when her father returns from the separation as a more attentive, loving father and husband.
Because of her summer experiences, Auden is empowered to make her own decisions, including deciding which dorms to live in, how to spend her time (not just studying constantly), and whom to choose as friends. She also stands up to both her parents, learns to ride a bike, and works to repair her relationship with Eli, as she’s grown to be open to love. Through self-actualization, Auden makes her own decisions without worrying if her parents will approve.
By the conclusion, Auden believes that people can change, as she reflects on how she became bolder and more extroverted, Hollis more committed and responsible, her mother more emotional, and her father more selfless and family-oriented.
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