60 pages • 2 hours read
Mikki BrammerThe Collected Regrets of Clover
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023A 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
Lenses
Lenses, specifically binoculars and cameras, represent Clover’s literal and metaphorical search for clarity, connection, and meaning in her life, as well as her distance from others. The binoculars are a gift from her grandfather, who taught her to observe life in search of patterns. Claudia sparks Clover’s interest in photography, owing to Claudia’s previous career as a photojournalist. Throughout the story, the lenses through which Clover observes life change alongside her mindset.
The binoculars are Clover’s window to the world, allowing her to observe her neighbors from the safe vantage point of her apartment. This voyeuristic act reflects her sense of isolation and detachment from the world around her. She watches her neighbors’ relationship in their intimate space, yearning for a connection she struggles to make. The binoculars become a tool for her to bridge the emotional gap between herself and others, offering her a glimpse into the intimate moments and shared experiences she craves. However, she learns that her vantage point offers a tidy, but incomplete, perspective of reality.
As Clover becomes closer to Claudia and begins to learn photography, the novel shows the gap between Clover and the people she observes closing as she learns to view life through a different lens: Rather than simply observing, Clover can frame, capture, and preserve moments and subjects, reflecting a renewed engagement with the world around her. The lenses through which Clover sees the world represent her ongoing search for insight and a sense of purpose, mirroring her journey to confront her own regrets and find meaning in her own life.
Romantic Comedies
Clover’s interest in romantic comedies, which she binges in her apartment, represents her aspirations. The films depict the idealized love and happy endings that seem elusive to Clover. Romantic comedies, with their formulaic yet comforting narratives, provide a sense of escapism. They offer an alternate reality where love is simple, and life’s challenges can be neatly resolved.
However, the prevalence of romantic comedies in the novel also underscores the gap between these idealized narratives and Clover’s own experiences. The films highlight the contrast between her work as a death doula and her personal struggles to confront her regrets and find love. Their tidy plotlines also contrast with the realities of the actual relationships Clover encounters as she begins to engage with life more fully, such as Sylvie’s open relationship with the neighbors, Claudia’s complicated relationship with Hugo, her grandfather’s friends-with-benefits relationship with Bessie, and the awkwardness of her relationship with Sebastian. Ultimately, the symbol of romantic comedies reflects the tension between the desire for an idealized, picture-perfect life and the complexities and imperfections of reality, which Clover grapples with throughout the story.
Clover’s Notebooks
Clover’s notebooks hold the last words and wisdom of her clients before they pass away, and they are a tangible representation of Clover’s work in helping others make peace with their lives and impending deaths. Like the binoculars, the notebooks represent Clover’s interest in observing the world and maintaining emotionally safe, distant contact with others.
The notebooks also reflect Clover’s own struggles with regrets and her fascination with the stories and experiences of others. Through her work, she aims to guide people in addressing their unresolved issues and finding closure, but she often neglects her own regrets. The act of recording these final words and pieces of wisdom becomes a way for Clover to connect with others and, in a sense, live vicariously through their experiences.
As the narrative unfolds, Clover’s relationship with her notebooks evolves. A significant moment occurs when Clover adds records her own entry in the “REGRETS” notebook, signaling a mindset shift as she becomes determined to address her own before it’s too late. As a symbol of her transformation, she receives a new notebook from Hugo when she sets off on her trip. This new notebook is titled “ADVENTURES,” in contrast with the previous notebooks, which were focused on the regrets and unresolved issues of Clover’s dying clients.
