Because she and her dad move around so much in What Happened to Goodbye, Mclean never gets to really be a part of a community—but when they move to Lakeview, they can't help but be dragged into the community. It's kind of how Lakeview rolls.
Her dad gets attached to the restaurant, while Mclean starts making friends and even participates in building a model version of the town. And by staying in Lakeview to finish out her senior year, Mclean gets to be a part of the community in a way she never though she would—going to prom, graduating, and signing a yearbook with friends—and the experience is completely priceless.
Questions About Community
- Why does Deb wait for Mclean to come back before finishing the final details of the model town?
- How has Mclean's dad made connections to Lakeview just like his daughter?
- How is Lakeview more of a home for Mclean now than Tyler, where her mom lives?
Chew on This
The model town symbolizes Mclean and her dad's own connection to Lakeview as a place. As she begins to work on the model town more, Mclean becomes more and more a part of the local community.
Even though her mom thinks that Mclean can just come back to Tyler and pick up where she left off, Mclean knows that she'll never be a part of that community again—especially since everyone knows what happened to her parents' marriage.