Vulnerability and Commitment in Mistakes Were Made by Lucy Score

Thematic Claim: Vulnerability as the Price of True Commitment

In Mistakes Were Made, Lucy Score argues that genuine commitment cannot exist without mutual vulnerability—the willingness to expose one’s deepest insecurities, past wounds, and impulsive edges. The novel positions vulnerability not as weakness but as the only foundation strong enough to hold a lasting partnership. Zoey Moody and Gage Bishop must each confront the fears that keep them armored: Zoey’s belief that she is “too much” to love, and Gage’s conviction that he must be perfect to protect those he cares about. Their journey reveals that commitment requires both partners to risk emotional exposure, accept imperfection, and trust the other with their most fragile selves.

Tracing the Theme Across the Plot

1. Zoey’s Impulsive Acts of Vulnerability

From the opening chapters, Zoey’s impulsiveness is both a liability and a gateway to vulnerability. In Chapter 12, after throwing a drink in Jim Whitehead’s face at Navya’s award party, Zoey spirals into shame. She berates herself: “I’m such an idiot…the entire publishing industry knew that I was an unstable mess.” This moment is a public exposure of her lack of control—a vulnerability she cannot hide. Yet Navya’s response reframes it: she calls Zoey “brave enough, passionate enough to be her champion” and advises her to “take that pause between stimulus and response.” Here, Zoey’s raw emotion, while embarrassing, also demonstrates her fierce loyalty. The scene establishes that her greatest weakness (impulsivity) is inseparable from her capacity for deep commitment. Later, in Chapter 21, she confesses to Gage: “Your own parents find it too difficult to love you, you know you’re the problem.” She reveals the core wound that makes intimacy terrifying: she expects rejection because she has always felt like a burden. Vulnerability here is painful but necessary for Gage to understand her.

2. Gage’s Fear of Failure and Emotional Exposure

Gage’s own vulnerability is rooted in trauma. In Chapter 19, his sister Laura forces him to confront his desire for punishment over forgiveness in the case of Valerie, the woman who caused the accident that killed Miller and paralyzed Laura. Gage’s rigid need for justice is a shield against his own guilt and helplessness. Laura demands he “get the fuck over that, Gage, and do your goddamn job.” This confrontation cracks his armor. Later, in Chapter 43, when Zoey impulsively throws herself at an armed man to protect Audrey, Gage panics. He coldly tells her, “I can’t be with someone who would be that careless, that reckless…I’m done.” His reaction is not cruelty but terror: he cannot bear the thought of losing another person he loves. His vulnerability—the fear of inadequacy in protecting those he loves—manifests as rejection. His mother later explains in Chapter 43 that since childhood he tried to be “perfect enough” to prevent bad things. Commitment to Zoey means accepting he cannot control outcomes.

3. The Reconciliation: Vulnerability Accepted

The turning point arrives in Chapter 40 when Gage lays himself bare. He tells Zoey, “I could spend the rest of my life with your ‘too much’ and it still wouldn’t be enough.” He lists her strengths: loyalty, humor, fierceness. He acknowledges the “mundane shit” she fears—bills, decision fatigue—but insists he wants all of it. Zoey still resists, predicting “this is gonna end so badly.” But Gage’s vulnerability—his admission that he is “asking for a lot” and “it’s scary as hell”—meets her fear halfway. In Chapter 48, the reconciliation is sealed when Zoey finds the roll of dimes in her car, a sign that echoes the tins of dimes Gage has collected as tokens of their connection. He shows her a disco ball in his living room and a closet full of her belongings. She tells him to “stop with the grand gesturing,” but she accepts his commitment. The epilogue confirms their engagement and plans for marriage and family—showing that vulnerability, once shared, became the bedrock of their future.

Character and Symbol Connections

Zoey Moody and the Disco Ball Necklace

Zoey’s disco ball necklace appears repeatedly as a symbol of her sparkle and her fear of being seen. In Chapter 21, Gage taps it during their conversation, a gesture that acknowledges her light. The necklace represents the vulnerable self she usually hides—bright, chaotic, joyful. By letting Gage touch it, she allows him closer to her core. By the epilogue, the necklace is still present, suggesting vulnerability has become a permanent, cherished part of their bond.

Gage Bishop and the Dimes

The dimes appear as tokens of connection and trust. In Chapter 48, Zoey finds a roll of dimes in her car door speaker grille, and Gage has a tin of dimes in his closet. They agree it is a sign. Dimes are small, overlooked, yet valuable—like the moments of vulnerability they share. Gage’s collection of dimes mirrors his gradual collection of trust in Zoey. The symbol underscores that commitment is built from small, consistent acts of openness.

The Sparkly Bra and Goose the Eagle

The sparkly bra is a humorous emblem of Zoey’s audacity and refusal to be conventional—a vulnerable choice that Gage admires. Goose the eagle, who drops a snake on Zoey in Chapter 2, triggers the literal collision that brings her and Gage together. The eagle’s ungraceful yet effective interruption mirrors the messy, unplanned nature of vulnerability. Neither character seeks to be vulnerable; it is thrust upon them, but they choose to embrace it.

Complexity and Contradiction

The novel does not present vulnerability as a simple cure-all. Zoey’s impulsiveness, while a sign of her passionate nature, nearly ends the relationship repeatedly. Gage’s protective instincts, while rooted in love, cause him to push Zoey away at the worst moments. Their commitment is tested not by external obstacles but by their own internal resistance. Furthermore, vulnerability is not equally distributed: Gage must learn to let go of control, while Zoey must learn to trust that her flaws won’t drive him away. The story acknowledges that commitment requires ongoing work—Gage becomes more spontaneous, Zoey learns to pause before reacting. The Author’s Note reveals that Score herself grappled with ADHD and shame, suggesting that the path to vulnerability is deeply personal and never fully resolved. In the epilogue, Zoey still relies on strategies like a paper calendar and headphones, proving that vulnerability does not erase struggle; it only makes the struggle bearable with a partner.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Zoey’s impulsivity function as both a weakness and a strength in the context of commitment?
   Answer: Her impulsivity exposes her emotions honestly (e.g., throwing the drink at Jim), which can damage professional relationships but also proves her fierce loyalty. In her relationship with Gage, her impulsiveness sometimes endangers her safety (Chapter 43), yet it also leads her to act on love without overthinking. Commitment requires her to channel rather than eliminate this trait.

2. Why does Gage break up with Zoey after she helps Audrey, and what does this reveal about his fear of vulnerability?
   Answer: Gage breaks up with Zoey out of terror that she will die because of her recklessness. His reaction stems from unresolved trauma over losing Miller—he cannot bear to fail again. This reveals that his need for control is a defense against his own vulnerability; he would rather end the relationship than risk the pain of loss.

3. What role do the dimes and the disco ball necklace play in symbolizing the couple’s growing trust?
   Answer: The dimes represent small, consistent acts of care that accumulate into trust. The disco ball necklace symbolizes Zoey’s dazzling, messy self that she fears showing. Gage’s attention to both objects—collecting dimes, touching the necklace—signals that he values her authentic, vulnerable self. When Zoey accepts the dimes as a sign, she accepts his commitment.

4. How does the scene with Valerie and Laura in Chapter 19 complicate the theme of commitment?
   Answer: Laura’s insistence that Gage defend Valerie—the woman who killed her husband—forces Gage to abandon his rigid need for justice and embrace forgiveness. This mirrors the vulnerability required in romantic commitment: letting go of the need for perfection and accepting that people make terrible mistakes. Gage’s willingness to do this for his sister prepares him to do the same for Zoey.

5. In what way does the epilogue suggest that vulnerability remains an ongoing process for both characters?
   Answer: Zoey still uses coping strategies for her ADHD (paper calendar, headphones), indicating that her neurology hasn’t changed. Gage has become more spontaneous—agreeing to an outdoor meteor-shower date that ends in a minor fire—showing he has relaxed his need for control. Their engagement doesn’t resolve all struggles; it continues a daily practice of mutual acceptance and adaptation.