A Heart in a Body in the World

Annabelle develops a fascination with the heart, which comes to symbolize physical and emotional strength throughout the novel. Many chapters begin with a list of facts about the heart that Annabelle notes in her Moleskine notebook. When Annabelle stops to see a doctor early on in her journey, the doctor reminds her, “You must remember that the heart is a muscle, too, and it can get as stressed as the others” (60). The doctor is referring to the physical strain of long-distance running on the human heart. However, this quote could also describe emotional stress and heartbreak. When Luke asks Annabelle why she is writing down facts about the heart, Annabelle explains, “It’s just… in there, and we never think about it. But when you do, you realize how important it is. It’s terrifying, you know, how much we count on this fist-sized muscle” (188).

Later, Annabelle tells Dawn Celeste she’s interested in studying the heart, possibly by becoming a surgeon. Annabelle loves science, but she’s not entirely sure she wants to be a surgeon, prompting Dawn Celeste to say, “I think you have studied the heart already. I think you