Love and Other Words

Macy meets Elliot when she finds him reading in the closet of her new bedroom. From then on, she and Elliot meet there to read together. The closet becomes a symbol of their early relationship, a sanctuary for them individually and together, a protected place where they find privacy, but also a boundary that prevents them from getting to know one another in the wider world. It also reflects Macy’s need for safety and privacy as she deals with the grief of her mother’s passing as well as her reluctance to share her personal struggles.

As Elliot and Macy grow older, Macy begins to realize that they only know one another’s weekend lives. They don’t know one another’s friends or go to one another’s schools or dances. The closet, which started as a sanctuary, becomes a cage. In the end, Elliot notes their relationship fell apart when they tried to be a couple outside the closet. Elliot assures her that was only an unfortunate coincidence, and they will be able to thrive together. When they bring their relationship out in public, it suggests that Macy is prepared to be more open with others and stop bottling her feelings.