56 pages • 1 hour read
Adam SilveraMore Happy Than Not
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2015A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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BetaSymbols & Motifs
“No Homo”
The phrase “no homo” appears 15 times throughout the novel. It’s used to distance the speaker from any homosexual or generally queer connotations of what they’ve just said or done. Aaron and Thomas use it frequently to deflect any suggestion of homosexual desire in their friendship, which they both recognize is unusually close. For Aaron it is almost reflexive, as he subconsciously and later consciously realizes that for him, everything is “homo.” The repetition of this phrase drives home the degree to which Aaron is self-conscious and paranoid about surveillance and discovery. It also paints a sad picture of the ways the men in the book—and by extension, men in our culture—police themselves against any perceived lessening of their masculinity. For Aaron, the actions that receive the “no homo” label often occur in moments when he feels vulnerable or close to someone, particularly Thomas. It’s a defensive phrase intended to protect or shield its user from criticism, but it also reveals the delicacy and limitations of the masculinity prized in the novel. The frequency with which it is used suggests that the boys are constantly hyperaware of the way their peers perceive them. With this awareness comes a fear that they may be seen as less masculine and more feminine, and thus queer.
Art, Creativity, and Creation
The novel is saturated with art. The three main characters all have artistic inclinations and appreciate visual media. This parallels the creation of Aaron’s new understanding of himself after his memories have been altered. Genevieve is primarily a visual artist, who paints and draws; Thomas is primarily a writer, producing screenplays and scripts and music. Aaron lands somewhere between them with his passion for illustration and graphic novels. All three characters use artistic expression to cope with and work through their evolving feelings and traumas.
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Aaron in particular uses his art to explore tensions in his life. His Sun Warden comic, for example, stalls when the main character (who Aaron does not remember basing on Collin) has to choose between saving his girlfriend or saving his best friend. Aaron uses that cliffhanger several times to sort out his own priorities and desires—sometimes definitively choosing Thomas but other times choosing Genevieve. Books and graphic novels are also the way Aaron connects with the people in his life. He and Collin originally felt each other out over discussions of books and comic books. He and Genevieve trade dates at the comic book store, which is one of the first places Aaron takes Thomas. One of the earlier signs of his sexuality is the careful, detailed, almost worshipful drawing he made of Brendan as a Pokémon master. Once the amnesia takes hold, Aaron produces an incredible number of drawings in a desperate attempt to hold on to himself and his memories.
Games and Play
Another element that appears frequently in the novel is the concept of games or play. The numerous games the boys play together (Manhunt, Suicide, Shark, Skelzies) suggest that they are in a liminal space between childhood and adulthood. The word “kid” appears in the novel 72 times, often expressing a tension at the transitional site into non-kid status. The boys increasingly police themselves and each other to enforce the gang’s values, self-consciously aware that they are expected to move into manhood and all that entails. Because of this awareness, their willingness to still play the way they did as children is significant. It reflects the more carefree and open days of their childhood while reinforcing the bonds between them as they move into adulthood.
Games and play are also a way to indicate membership in or exclusion from the group. After the group becomes disgruntled about Aaron’s burgeoning relationship with Thomas, they exclude him from play. He asks about a game of Manhunt, but they’ve already played; they intend to ride bikes and reject his attempt to join them on his rollerblades. There is a tension between this childish form of punishment and the more adult form that manifests later in the novel. The boys move from not allowing Aaron to play with them into an older space of violently assaulting him to curtail his gay behavior. That the boys don’t seem to expect any consequences for their actions reflects their true immaturity; they are performing adult violence with the motivations and intentions of children.
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By Adam Silvera
