More Than This

Throughout the novel, most characters experience some kind of trauma. Characters learn to cope with the long-lasting consequences in different ways, and varying degrees of success. Seth, the protagonist, experiences personal and familial trauma, and his reactions are explored in depth throughout the story. At first, he struggles with loneliness and depression. Over the course of the narrative, however, Seth’s mental health improves as he processes his trauma and develops meaningful relationships with Regine and Tomasz.

His familial trauma stems from his brother Owen’s kidnapping and murder when they were young, and Seth is impacted by this experience. Candace, Seth and Owen’s mother, copes with her trauma by running and often deals with underlying anger. On the other hand, Edward, their father, takes medication and focuses on home projects to avoid his issues. Both chose to deny their son’s death by recreating a simulated version of Owen in the online world. As Regine states, “the worst thing in the world [...] happened to them and they weren’t able to deal with it” (310). The inability to confront this trauma in Seth’s household festers, making him feel neglected and blamed for Owen’s death. This trauma exacerbates Seth’s personal trauma of being outed and bullied for his relationship with Gudmund.

Regine and Tomasz both experience personal trauma. Regine’s stepfather was abusive and she has difficulty trusting people and showing affection, although she is very protective of Tomasz. Tomasz experienced poverty and was killed by a smuggler. Throughout the story, he claims that he was hit by lightning and often makes light of difficult situations. Tomasz’s bombastic story and lightheartedness are suggested to be his own way of avoiding reconciling with his own trauma.

All characters also experience a collective cultural trauma, as they witnessed society’s economic, political, and environmental collapse. Although they collectively chose to move online and erase their memories of the past, that trauma affects them subconsciously. Seth for instance suggests that his parents knew “on some level [that Owen] wasn’t real [and that] was there in how they treated [him]. Like an afterthought. Like a burden, sometimes” (301). Seth believes that his parents’ repressed memories are what he interpreted as blame. Seth’s parents’ trauma shows that trauma is inescapable except through confrontation; the Lethe process, an online simulation, and a simulated Owen are not enough to let them completely avoid their trauma.

By the end of the story, Seth has learned not to internalize other people’s trauma. He realizes that his parents’ anger was not about him but to their own inability to grieve Owen. He also processes his loneliness by creating and reclaiming meaningful friendships with Regine, Tomasz, Gudmund, and H. In short, More Than This explores the effects of personal, familial, and cultural trauma, with Seth’s journey acting as a catalyst to underline the complexity of human emotions.