Symbols Mistakes Were Made Lucy Score

The Disco Ball Necklace: A Symbol of Broken Beauty and Radical Honesty

In Lucy Score’s Mistakes Were Made, the disco ball necklace worn by Zoey Moody is far more than a quirky accessory. It functions as a tangible emblem of Zoey’s identity, a catalyst for emotional vulnerability, and eventually a shared symbol of hope and reconciliation between Zoey and Gage. This analysis traces the necklace’s appearances, its shifting meanings, and its deep connections to the novel’s core themes and characters.

What Is the Disco Ball Necklace?

Literally, the necklace is a small disco ball charm worn on a long chain. Zoey describes it as “broken, sparkly things” — a collection of mirrored fragments that, pieced together, create something beautiful. It first appears in Chapter 8 (“Broken, sparkly things”) when Gage notices it at the crowded Angelo’s. The exchange reveals Zoey’s personal philosophy: she likes broken, sparkly things because “all those broken pieces add up to something everyone loves.”

The Safe Word “Disco”

The most significant narrative function of the necklace is as the origin of the safe word “disco.” In that same chapter, Zoey proposes that they use “disco” as a truth-telling word — a verbal key that unlocks brutal honesty. She holds up her necklace and declares, “If one of us says it, the other one has to tell the truth.” This agreement becomes a recurring device, allowing both characters to lower their guards and share painful truths. For example, Gage uses “disco” to admit that the driver who killed Miller “got away with too little,” and later in Chapter 21, he taps the charm to remind Zoey of their pact when she hesitates to share her “weird news.” The safe word transforms the necklace from a personal memento into a relational tool that fosters the deep intimacy they both crave but fear.

The Necklace as a Mirror of Zoey’s Identity

Zoey’s self-description — “broken, sparkly things” — perfectly encapsulates her internal struggles and resilience. She has been told her whole life that she is “too much” or “too hard to love,” especially by her parents. She confesses to Gage in Chapter 20, “You can only have so many people in your life tell you that you’re too much … before you have to start taking it seriously.” Yet the disco ball metaphor reframes her perceived flaws as something beautiful. She chooses to wear a symbol of fractured light, embracing the idea that brokenness can still produce joy. This connects directly to the novel’s exploration of ADHD and neurodivergence, as Zoey’s late diagnosis (revealed in the Author’s Note) helps her understand that her chaos is not a flaw but a different way of seeing the world.

Gage’s Grand Gesture: The Disco Ball and the Closet

The necklace’s meaning expands in Chapter 48 (“Stop with the grand gesturing”) when Gage makes a grand gesture of reconciliation. After their painful separation, he lures Zoey to his home and shows her a full-sized disco ball hanging from his living room ceiling. He has also secretly moved her belongings into a beautifully organized closet — complete with her clothes, her throw pillows, and even the tin of dimes he used to hide at Laura’s house. This act is a direct mirroring of the necklace: he literally brings a disco ball into his orderly world, embracing the broken sparkle Zoey represents. Zoey’s reaction — “You did this for me?” — underscores how the symbol has become mutual. The disco ball no longer only belongs to Zoey; it is now a fixture in Gage’s home, signifying his acceptance of spontaneity, mess, and authentic connection. This moment ties into the theme of control vs spontaneity, as Gage, a man of calendars and meal prep, chooses to let light and unpredictability into his life.

Themes and Character Connections

The necklace weaves through multiple themes:

  • Vulnerability and Commitment: The “disco” safe word creates a space where both characters can be vulnerable without fear of judgment. It is the mechanism that allows Gage to share his grief and Zoey to admit her fears about being “too messy for normal.”
  • Grief and Forgiveness: The disco ball’s broken pieces echo the fractured lives of the Bishop family after Laura’s death. Gage’s eventual embrace of the symbol represents his movement toward forgiveness — of himself and of Zoey.
  • Small-Town Community: At the prom (Chapter 34), Zoey helps a student named Ruby by fixing her hair and encouraging her to dance. She tells Gage she “always looks for the sparkle,” explicitly linking her necklace philosophy to her actions in the community. The disco ball is not just personal; it radiates outward.
  • ADHD and Neurodivergence: Zoey’s ADHD is central to her identity. The necklace symbolizes her non-linear, pattern-seeking mind — drawn to fragments of light rather than a single, smooth surface. The Author’s Note confirms Score’s own late ADHD diagnosis, reinforcing that the metaphor is rooted in authentic experience.

Character connections are equally rich. Zoey Moody is the necklace’s original owner; Gage Bishop becomes its co-creator of meaning. The safe word also involves Cam Bishop, who helps Gage move Zoey’s things, and Laura Bishop, whose house becomes the backdrop for the first honest conversation. The necklace even touches Hazel Hart and Opal Mallory through Zoey’s professional work and friendships.

Study Questions

  1. Why does Zoey wear a disco ball necklace?
    Zoey wears the necklace because she identifies as “broken, sparkly things.” The disco ball is made of many fractured mirror pieces that together create light and joy. She wears it as a personal emblem of embracing imperfection and beauty in brokenness.

  2. How does the safe word “disco” function in the relationship between Zoey and Gage?
    The safe word “disco” forces absolute honesty. When one says it, the other must tell the truth. It allows both characters to share painful or embarrassing truths they would otherwise hide — Gage’s grief over the driver’s lenient sentence, Zoey’s fears about her parents — and builds emotional intimacy.

  3. What does Gage’s gesture of installing a disco ball and filling a closet for Zoey symbolize?
    Gage’s gesture shows he has fully accepted Zoey’s chaotic, sparkly world. By putting a disco ball in his living room and creating space for her belongings, he physically integrates her chaos into his orderly life. It represents his willingness to embrace spontaneity, vulnerability, and commitment.

  4. How does the disco ball necklace connect to Zoey’s ADHD and self-perception?
    The necklace mirrors Zoey’s neurodivergent brain — a collection of bright, fragmented thoughts that can seem messy but are vibrant and creative. Her philosophy of “broken, sparkly things” reframes ADHD not as a deficit but as a different way of sparking joy. The Author’s Note confirms that this metaphor reflects Score’s own journey with a late ADHD diagnosis.

Conclusion

The disco ball necklace in Mistakes Were Made is a masterfully crafted symbol that grows from a personal talisman into a shared language of truth and reconciliation. Through its mirrored facets, Score explores how brokenness can be beautiful, how vulnerability can be a strength, and how love sometimes means letting someone else bring a disco ball into your carefully ordered life. This small piece of jewelry ultimately represents the novel’s heart: that we are all made of broken things, and that is exactly what makes us worth loving.