It's Not the End of the World

Furniture is a motif that runs through the novel, representing the fundamental incompatibility between Bill and Ellie. Karen describes how Ellie loves antique furniture and her true passion involves refurbishing old antiques. Their home is decorated with antiques suiting her taste. Karen notices how Bill’s furniture store sells modern furniture, contrasting with the aesthetic of their home. Karen at one point even asks her mother if this disagreement over furniture contributed to the divorce. Ellie assures her that this is not the case, but Karen has noticed that there are some fundamental ways in which their parents differ.

When Karen sees Bill’s new apartment, her suspicions are confirmed. Bill’s apartment features the kind of modern furniture he sells at the store. There is a sense that now that Bill has separated from Ellie, he can be more authentic to himself and design his life in a way that suits him. That same sense emerges when Karen sees Ellie working on a new piece of furniture for Amy’s toys. Karen sees that without Bill around, Ellie is freer to explore what makes her happy rather than fitting into the social role he expected of her.