Eleanor and Park - What Difficult or Complex Things Happen In the Text?

What difficult or complex things are happening in the text?



          The book "Eleanor and Park" is a novel about two teens that fall in love despite their respective social groups. Park is an Asian-american who lives a "Perfect Life" and Eleanor who lives in a run down home with an abusive step dad and poor mother who is unable to provide.
           Eleanor looks to Park refuge from her daily, crazy life. A complex idea that pops up is bullying, not their concept but the way it's shown through out the story. Bullying, itself is a concept that is covered in many stories, however in Eleanor and Park, Eleanor's step father, Richie, writes inappropriate notes in her text book such as "suck me off", "pop that cherry" and "i know youre a slut, you smell like cum". It is never really addressed why he wrote her these notes being that we only receive the perspectives of Eleanor and Park. Nevertheless Eleanor ponders why he might of done this and thinks it's because he really did like her or enjoyed and fed off of her misery to make him happier.
             Another complex thing that happens is when Eleanor decides to run away. Park then agrees in the middle of the night to take his parents car and drive her across a state and a half to her uncles home where knows she will be safe. Eleanor, also questions whether or not she should go back to the house and "save" he brothers and sisters, saying she wishes she could sneak back into the house and take them with her. She realizes this would be nearly impossible to do with Richie on the loose. This entire section of the story brings up the themes of family and abuse and the act doing what you need to do to save yourself rather than the ones you love. The craft of this section of the text is written in an intense and fast passed but sincere way. This part of the text also brings up the idea of how would you go to protect the one(s) you love. (Park obviously willing to do anything to make sure Eleanor is safe even if it means he will never see her again.)
              The book in total is more than just a love story, it creates a real life scenario in the eyes of Eleanor and Park and also tests many limits.