45 pages • 1 hour read
Mary KubicaThe Good Girl
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2014A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
North Star
The North Star, which first appears on Mia’s sweatshirt and is referenced by Colin later in the novel, is a symbol of a strong moral compass. As the star that guides lost travelers, it is representative of the inherent goodness of Colin and Mia.
Mia’s stolen sweatshirt says “l’etoile du nord”: French for “north star.” She wears the sweatshirt often in her months at the cabin. The sweatshirt mocks Colin at first, who can’t put a finger on the reason for his distaste for it. The sweatshirt is representative of Mia’s moral compass and foreshadows that she will eventually find her way home.
As time passes in the cabin, Colin also embraces the North Star. He begins to love Mia’s sweatshirt and reflects on his “innate ability to know which way is north and which way is south” (220). Colin proves his moral righteousness during his time with Mia, despite his earlier portrayal as a villain. Colin knows “which way is north and which way is south” on a technical level, but he also knows the difference between right and wrong. The North Star is a symbol of this shared moral code.
Gun
Guns are a symbol of power in the novel. The exchange of the gun between Colin and Mia is an exchange of power.
Colin initially wields the gun to prove he has power over Mia. He uses it as a tool to demonstrate his strength. When Colin gives Mia the gun, he hands over his power to her. She could kill him, but she does not. He forfeits his life and his control to Mia, and this exchange of power allows them to build trust.
In the final scenes of the novel, Colin takes the gun from Mia. In this moment, the gun transforms from a symbol of power, to a symbol of martyrdom. By taking the gun, Colin takes the burden of violence from Mia. As someone who has been violent and lived with the guilt, Colin knows that the gun will cause more pain than good. He takes the gun from Mia not to take her power, but to offer her a way out of his own cycle of violence.
Baby
Mia’s unborn baby is a symbol of her love for Colin. The baby is representative of their shared bond, and Colin’s legacy.
Mia has shifting feelings about the baby. When she first discovers she’s pregnant, she cannot acknowledge the baby’s presence. This mirrors her love for Colin—during this period, she can’t remember that she loved Colin or the extent of their bond. Because it is too painful to acknowledge Colin, it is too painful to acknowledge the baby.
Mia finally accepts the baby’s presence when she refuses to get an abortion. A boy named Owen reminds her of her love for Colin, who went by the name Owen during their time at the cabin. This continues when Mia faces her grief by visiting the cabin where the baby was conceived. On her way to the cabin, she finally acknowledges the baby’s existence—the closer she gets to Colin, the closer she gets the baby.
Finally, Mia embraces and loves the baby as she comes to terms with her grief and her memories of Colin. Eve reflects, “This baby is no longer a burden, but a last trace of him, something to hold on to” (342). The baby becomes a living reminder of her love. Mia embraces that memory, despite the pain, to move forward and heal.
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By Mary Kubica
