Basic Details

What is We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves about?

• Synopsis Focuses on Rosemary: The story centers on Rosemary Cooke, a young woman reflecting on her unconventional childhood, which included being raised alongside a chimpanzee, Fern, as part of a psychological experiment.
• Explores Family Dynamics: It delves into the complex relationships within the Cooke family, marked by the absence of Fern and Rosemary's brother, Lowell, and the unspoken secrets that haunt them.
• Themes of Identity and Loss: The novel explores themes of identity, belonging, loss, and the blurred boundaries between human and animal, as Rosemary grapples with her past and seeks to understand her place in the world.

Why should I read We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves?

• Unique Narrative Perspective: The novel offers a unique narrative perspective, blending personal reflection with thought-provoking questions about human nature and our relationship with other species.
• Emotional Depth and Complexity: It delves into complex emotional landscapes, exploring themes of loss, guilt, and the search for identity with nuance and sensitivity.
• Engaging and Thought-Provoking: The story is both engaging and thought-provoking, prompting readers to question their own assumptions about family, memory, and the nature of what it means to be human.

What is the background of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves?

• Psychological Experimentation: The novel is set against the backdrop of mid-20th-century psychological experimentation, particularly the study of animal behavior and human-animal relationships.
• Ethical Considerations: It raises ethical considerations about the treatment of animals in research and the impact of such experiments on both the subjects and the families involved.
• Cultural Context: The story is also influenced by the cultural context of the 1970s and 1990s, reflecting changing attitudes towards family, science, and personal identity.

What are the most memorable quotes in We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves?

• "Skip the beginning. Start in the middle.": This quote, from the prologue, encapsulates the novel's non-linear narrative structure and Rosemary's approach to storytelling, highlighting the importance of perspective and the subjective nature of memory.
• "What you accomplish will never matter so much as where you fail.": This quote, reflecting Rosemary's childhood experience, reveals a core theme of the novel, emphasizing the lasting impact of perceived failures and the difficulty of achieving true success.
• "We were all in shock. It was such a scene, you can't imagine.": This quote, from the cafeteria worker, highlights the disruptive nature of the events in the cafeteria and the way that trauma can be both personal and shared, shaping individual and collective memory.

What writing style, narrative choices, and literary techniques does Karen Joy Fowler use?

• Non-Linear Narrative: Fowler employs a non-linear narrative structure, jumping between different time periods and perspectives, which mirrors the fragmented nature of memory and the complexities of the past.
• First-Person Perspective: The story is told from Rosemary's first-person perspective, allowing readers to intimately experience her thoughts, emotions, and evolving understanding of her life.
• Blending of Genres: Fowler seamlessly blends elements of family drama, psychological thriller, and social commentary, creating a unique and compelling reading experience.

Hidden Details & Subtle Connections

What are some minor details that add significant meaning?

• The Geodes: Rosemary's collection of geodes, split open to reveal their crystal interiors, symbolizes the hidden depths and complexities of her family and their secrets, suggesting that beauty and truth often lie beneath the surface.
• The Color Blue: The recurring motif of the color blue, from the blue house in Indianapolis to the blue Datsun, subtly connects seemingly disparate events and locations, highlighting the interconnectedness of Rosemary's past and present.
• The Names: The significance of names, such as Rosemary's own name ("for remembrance") and the various names of the rats, adds layers of meaning, hinting at the characters' deeper traits and the themes of memory and identity.

What are some subtle foreshadowing and callbacks?

• The Fairy Tale: The fairy tale about the sisters who speak in toads and flowers foreshadows the contrasting ways Rosemary and Fern are perceived and treated, highlighting the themes of communication and misinterpretation.
• The Broken Collarbone: Rosemary's childhood fall from the tree, resulting in a broken collarbone, foreshadows the later fractures in her family and the lasting impact of her childhood experiences.
• The "Think a Head" Graffiti: The graffiti in the jail cell, "Think a head," serves as a subtle callback to Rosemary's tendency to overthink and analyze, highlighting her intellectual nature and her struggle to reconcile her thoughts with her emotions.

What are some unexpected character connections?

• Ezra and Harlow: The unexpected connection between Ezra, the apartment manager, and Harlow, the chaotic student, reveals a shared sense of being outsiders and a surprising capacity for loyalty and protectiveness.
• Lowell and Mrs. Byard: The unlikely friendship between Lowell and Mrs. Byard, the devout Christian neighbor, highlights the unexpected connections that can form across seemingly disparate backgrounds and beliefs.
• Rosemary and the Cafeteria Woman: The cafeteria woman's intervention on Rosemary's behalf reveals a hidden depth of empathy and a shared understanding of the transient nature of student life, highlighting the importance of often overlooked supporting characters.

Who are the most significant supporting characters?

• Ezra Metzger: As the apartment manager, Ezra's paranoia and sense of responsibility provide a unique perspective on the events, highlighting the themes of surveillance and the hidden lives of those around us.
• Grandma Donna: As Rosemary's maternal grandmother, Donna's traditional views and strong opinions offer a contrasting perspective on the family's unconventional dynamics, highlighting the generational differences and the complexities of family relationships.
• Matt from Birmingham: As a grad student who worked with Fern, Matt's presence and subsequent departure highlight the ethical dilemmas of the experiment and the emotional impact on those involved, serving as a catalyst for Lowell's actions.

Psychological, Emotional, & Relational Analysis

What are some unspoken motivations of the characters?

• Vince's Need for Control: Vince's motivation for the chimp experiment stems from a deep-seated need for control and a desire to understand human behavior through a scientific lens, often at the expense of his family's emotional well-being.
• Karen's Desire for Connection: Karen's retreat into herself is driven by a deep desire for connection and a profound sense of loss, as she struggles to cope with the absence of Fern and the emotional distance within her family.
• Lowell's Search for Justice: Lowell's rebellious actions and eventual disappearance are motivated by a deep-seated need for justice and a desire to protect Fern, even if it means sacrificing his own well-being.

What psychological complexities do the characters exhibit?

• Rosemary's Identity Crisis: Rosemary exhibits a complex psychological profile, marked by a deep-seated identity crisis stemming from her unique upbringing and the blurred lines between human and animal.
• Lowell's Trauma and Anger: Lowell's psychological complexities are rooted in the trauma of Fern's disappearance and his subsequent anger and resentment towards his parents, leading to his rebellious behavior and eventual departure.
• Karen's Depression and Withdrawal: Karen's psychological state is characterized by depression and withdrawal, reflecting the profound impact of loss and the challenges of coping with the family's unspoken secrets.

What are the major emotional turning points?

• The Cafeteria Incident: The chaotic events in the cafeteria, leading to Rosemary's arrest, serve as a major emotional turning point, forcing her to confront her own complicity and the consequences of her actions.
• The Trip to the Farmhouse: The trip to the old farmhouse with Lowell and Russell is a significant emotional turning point, as Rosemary realizes that Fern is not there and begins to understand the true nature of her disappearance.
• The Revelation of Fern's Fate: The revelation of Fern's true fate, as told by Kitch, is a major emotional turning point, forcing Rosemary to confront the reality of her sister's situation and the ethical implications of the experiment.

How do relationship dynamics evolve?

• Rosemary and Lowell's Shifting Bond: The relationship between Rosemary and Lowell evolves from a close childhood bond to a strained and distant connection, marked by unspoken resentments and a shared sense of loss.
• Rosemary and Harlow's Complex Friendship: The friendship between Rosemary and Harlow is characterized by a mix of attraction and repulsion, highlighting the complexities of human connection and the challenges of navigating different personalities and perspectives.
• The Cooke Family's Fractured Unity: The Cooke family's dynamics are marked by a fractured unity, as the unspoken secrets and unresolved emotions surrounding Fern's disappearance create a lasting sense of distance and disconnection.

Interpretation & Debate

Which parts of the story remain ambiguous or open-ended?

• Fern's Perspective: The novel leaves Fern's perspective largely ambiguous, prompting readers to question the extent to which we can truly understand the thoughts and feelings of nonhuman animals.
• Lowell's Fate: Lowell's ultimate fate remains open-ended, leaving readers to wonder about his future and the impact of his actions on his family.
• The Nature of Memory: The novel leaves the nature of memory open to interpretation, prompting readers to question the reliability of their own recollections and the subjective nature of truth.

What are some debatable, controversial scenes or moments in We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves?

• The Ethics of the Experiment: The ethical implications of the chimp experiment are a source of debate, prompting readers to question the boundaries of scientific research and the treatment of animals.
• Rosemary's Complicity: Rosemary's complicity in Fern's disappearance is a controversial aspect of the story, prompting readers to consider the extent to which she is responsible for her sister's fate.
• The Nature of Love and Family: The novel challenges traditional notions of love and family, prompting readers to question the boundaries of these concepts and the complexities of human relationships.

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves Ending Explained: How It Ends & What It Means

• Rosemary's Acceptance: The ending sees Rosemary coming to terms with her past and accepting the complexities of her family's history, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and forgiveness.
• The Power of Storytelling: The ending emphasizes the power of storytelling and memory in shaping identity and understanding, as Rosemary reclaims her narrative and finds her voice.
• A Call for Empathy: The ending serves as a call for empathy and compassion, urging readers to consider the perspectives of others, both human and nonhuman, and to challenge traditional notions of what it means to be human.