Acton, Pin, Graceful, Gyaar, and Cam are all abandoned in different ways throughout the story. Usually abandonment refers to a family member bouncing from the family unit and leaving others behind to fend for themselves in this book. The Returning deals a little with the moral implications of such an act, as well as the aftermath—it suggests that sometimes it's necessary to abandon people to figure stuff out for yourself (in Cam's case) or help those around you (in Graceful's case). But just because it's necessary sometimes, doesn't mean it's easy on those left behind.
Questions About Abandonment
- Is there a difference between Cam abandoning his family and Graceful leaving hers? Does the book lead us to believe one is better than the other?
- What happens to Cam's family after he leaves? Does it hurt more or less when he goes the second time? How do they deal with his departure differently?
- Do you hate Cam for abandoning his family? No, really: is he a total jerk? Or is he validated because it's his life? Were you surprised that he doesn't come back in the end?
Chew on This
Even though Cam deserts the ones who love him the most, he has to move on in order to survive. With his family, he is not really living, but just passing time.
Cam's issues after the war follow him even after he abandons his family. He might be looking for answers, but he should have stuck it out with his family.