One Day

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2009

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Symbols & Motifs

Yin and Yang Tattoo

The yin and yang tattoo that Dexter gets while in India is a symbol of his and Emma’s relationship. Yin and yang, Dexter himself explains, “means the perfect union of opposites” (71)—originating from Chinese philosophy, the principle of yin and yang describes the interconnectedness of opposing forces. These opposites “both attract and complement each other” (Cartwright, Mark. “Yin and Yang.” World History Encyclopedia, 16 May 2018). This idea is visually represented by a circle divided into two halves by a curved line, where one half of the circle is black with a white spot, representing yin, while the other half is white with a black spot, representing the yang.

Like Yin and Yang, Emma and Dexter are complete opposites: Emma is driven by idealism and wants to change the world through art, and Dexter is more grounded in material pursuits, seeking success and fame. This fundamental difference in their outlooks leads them to pursue two diverging life paths—Emma prioritizes making a meaningful impact on others, placing little importance on wealth and status, whereas Dexter thrives in the world of television and indulges in the luxuries and glamour it offers. In Chapter 13, the image of Emma driving a fourth-hand Panda and Dexter a Mazda sports car encapsulates these differences. Moreover, the scene in Chapter 9, where Dexter takes Emma to a restaurant so extravagant that it has a Cigarette Girl, highlights the disparity in their lifestyles. Dexter judges Emma for having “an air of self-righteousness” and for being “subsided” (154), while Emma feels so out of place and uncomfortable that she leaves.

However, despite their disparities, Dexter and Emma are undeniably attracted to each other in all ways. In Chapter 1, Emma admires Dexter’s physical appearance, describing him as "beautiful,” with “one of those faces where you were aware of the bones beneath the skin, as if even his bare skull would be attractive” (12). Dexter reciprocates this attraction, unable to take his eyes off Emma during their holiday in Greece. They laugh when they’re around each other, and Emma’s boyfriend, Ian, is jealous of their chemistry. Their eventual union brings a sense of equilibrium and joy into their lives—like the concept of yin and yang, they complement and fulfill each other.

Aging

The motif of aging permeates the whole novel, a natural consequence of its 20-year narrative arc. Right from Chapter 1, both Emma and Dexter express apprehensions about growing older. Emma admits she’s “crapping [herself]” rather than feeling “excited” (12), and, when she asks Dexter what he thinks he will be doing at 40, he struggles to understand the concept, as if 40 is so distant that it remains a fantastical notion. Later, when Emma finds herself trapped waitressing at a Tex-Mex restaurant, she laments the passage of time and fears that she has wasted precious years. This constant awareness of the ticking clock imbues the narrative with an anxious undertone, mirroring the characters’ apprehensions.

Aging, however, is portrayed as an inevitable process, and soon both Emma and Dexter begin to witness its effects. At 27, Emma reflects on her evolving character. While she “used to pride herself on her refusal to see two sides of an argument” she now “accepts that issues are more ambiguous and complicated than she once thought” (92). Though she’s still young, she has become more lenient and accepting. In Chapter 11, Dexter is shocked to discover he’s being replaced in his role as a TV presenter by a younger colleague. This forces Dexter to confront the reality of aging and the possibility of being perceived as past his prime.

Later in the novel, Dexter looks in the mirror and notices signs of aging—grey hair, sagging skin, and weight gain. He laments that “he had hoped to age like a movie star: wiry, aquiline, grey-templed, sophisticated. Instead, he was aging like a TV presenter” (277). This realization conveys the theme of Navigating Life's Expectations and Realities, highlighting how the physical effects of aging can defy one’s idealized expectations, leading to disappointment.

St. Swithin’s Day

July 15, the day on which Emma and Dexter are revisited each year, is St. Swithin’s Day. According to popular belief, on this day, “the weather for a subsequent period is dictated. […] If it rains on St. Swithin’s Day, it will rain for 40 days, but if it is fair, 40 days of fair weather will follow” (“St. Swithin’s Day.” Britannica). Dexter explains this tradition to Emma in Chapter 1, jokingly singing, “If on St. Swithin’s Day it doth rain/Something dum-di-dum again” (19).

In the novel, St. Swithin’s Day serves as a symbol of the unpredictable nature of life. Just as the weather on this day determines future conditions, the events that unfold on St. Swithin’s Day shape the trajectory of Emma and Dexter’s lives. Notable examples are Emma and Dexter’s first night together, which lays the foundation for their relationship, and Emma’s tragic death, an accident that forever changes Dexter’s life. This conveys the novel’s overarching theme of The Influence of Timing and Chance in Life—Nicholls emphasizes life’s uncertainty, where timing and chance play a significant role in shaping lives, challenging the notion of predetermined destiny in romance novels.