Stay

Content Warning: This section contains discussions of emotional trauma and mental health conditions.

Contexts of financial distress, not having a home, and separation from loved ones—human and non-human—are central to the plot in Stay. Through these different instances, the book explores the idea of adversity and the kind of resilience people can display in tough times.

The narrative introduces Piper and her family’s story early on, and it is an example of both adversity and resilience. The Trudeaus have slid into financial distress following one unforeseen circumstance after another, and they arrive at the emergency shelter left unable to afford a home. Despite these difficulties and their present struggles, the family consistently tries to make the best of their situation. They gather to remember things to be grateful for each night, and her parents repeatedly remind a downbeat Piper to look at the “doughnut” and not “the hole.” These instances display how Piper is primed to display resilience because, despite her current circumstances, she still has several things to draw support from: her family together, a roof over her head, and encouragement to keep positively looking at the world.

Jewel and Baby’s story, the other central thread in the book, portrays a different kind of adversity.