Ice Skating: A Symbol of Emotional Release in Problematic Summer Romance
What Is the Ice Skating Symbol?
Ice skating appears early in Problematic Summer Romance as Maya Killgore’s private ritual. On the surface, it is a sport: blades gliding over frozen water. But for Maya, the ice becomes a canvas for her grief, rage, and longing. In the prologue, she visits a nearly empty rink with her friend Jade. She “stab[s]” the ice with her blades, imagining the surface bleeding. The ice is not just a place to exercise—it is a punching bag, a confessional, and a mirror.
Where the Motif Appears
The motif is concentrated in the opening chapters and in Maya’s memories.
- Prologue: Maya skates while confiding in Jade about her brother Eli’s destination wedding. The rink is “nearly deserted,” and the ice “gleams white under the ceiling lights.” Maya admits she likes to pretend the ice is “the thing I would have been better off not knowing,” and she vents her frustration by stabbing it.
- Chapter 2: Maya recalls moving to Scotland at seventeen after losing both parents. She acted out destructively out of grief and rage. Ice skating is implied as one of the healthy outlets she later adopts after therapy, though the novel does not show it directly.
- Later references: When Maya is in Sicily, she cannot skate. The activity exists only in her memory, which gives it added weight as a symbol of the emotional stability she left behind.
How the Meaning Changes
The meaning of ice skating shifts as Maya’s emotional state evolves.
1. Escapism and Suppressed Anger
In the prologue, skating allows Maya to externalize feelings she cannot voice. She tells Jade she “like[s] to pretend that the ice is the thing I would have been better off not knowing.” By stabbing the ice, she gives physical form to her resentment toward Eli and her dread of seeing Conor Harkness. The ice absorbs her violence without breaking. This reflects Maya’s tendency to bottle up emotions and release them only in controlled, solitary environments.
2. A Lost Anchor
When Maya travels to Sicily, she leaves the rink behind. Without skating, she struggles to manage her anxiety. The absence of ice skating mirrors her displacement from home and from her coping mechanisms. She becomes more reactive—snapping at Conor, engaging in risky soccer games (the “Mayageddon” incident in chapter 18), and ultimately confronting her feelings head-on. The lack of skating forces her to develop new ways of processing emotion.
3. A Metaphor for Agency and Control
Skating requires balance, precision, and self-control—qualities Maya craves but often lacks in her relationships. On the ice, she dictates every movement. In real life, she feels helpless against Conor’s rejections and Eli’s expectations. The rink becomes a space where she can reclaim power. Later, when she learns to assert herself without the ice, the symbol evolves from a needed crutch to a fond memory of how far she has come.
Character Connections
Maya Killgore
Maya is the sole user of this symbol. Ice skating is her private language for grief, frustration, and self-soothing. It appears only when she is emotionally overwhelmed—especially regarding her brother’s wedding and her unresolved feelings for Conor. The act of skating (even just talking about it) helps her regain composure.
Conor Harkness
Conor never skates, but he is indirectly linked to the symbol. Maya’s anxiety about facing him is what drives her to the rink in the prologue. The ice represents the emotional distance she tries to maintain between them. Later, when she learns to be vulnerable with Conor, she no longer needs the ice as a barrier.
Eli Killgore
Eli is the catalyst for Maya’s need to escape. His wedding forces her to confront family loyalty and her own resentment. The ice skating scene begins with her considering not attending—an echo of her wish to vanish into the rink.
Theme Connections
Emotional Vulnerability and Communication
Ice skating is a substitute for honest conversation. Maya stabs the ice instead of telling Eli she is hurt. She hides behind physical exertion to avoid admitting she still cares for Conor. As the novel progresses, she learns to speak her feelings aloud, and the ice fades as a crutch.
Self-Discovery and Identity
Maya’s identity is entangled with her grief and her role as the “younger sister.” On the ice, she is simply herself—not Eli’s dependent, not Conor’s obsession, not a physics student. The rink is one of the few places where she feels fully in control of her life. Her eventual ability to skate in her memory without pain signals her emotional growth.
Age Gap Romance and Power Dynamics
The power imbalance between Maya and Conor is partly rooted in her perceived immaturity. Ice skating is something Maya does alone, highlighting her isolation. Conor’s refusal to see her as an equal is mirrored in the solitary nature of the sport—she is always performing for herself, never with a partner. When they finally connect, the need for solitary release diminishes.
Sibling Bonds and Family Legacy
Maya’s skating habit is a legacy of her childhood. Her father taught her about the stars, but the novel does not specify who taught her to skate. Nevertheless, the activity is tied to her pre-orphanhood self—a time when family was intact. Returning to the ice is a way to hold onto that lost identity.
4 Study Questions with Answers
1. How does ice skating function as a coping mechanism for Maya in the prologue?
Answer: In the prologue, Maya uses ice skating to externalize her anger and grief. She “stab[s]” the ice with her blades, pretending it is “the thing I would have been better off not knowing.” The physical violence of skating helps her manage the emotional turmoil of attending her brother’s wedding and facing Conor. The rink is a controlled space where she can release tension without harming anyone.
2. Why does the absence of ice skating in Sicily matter to Maya’s character arc?
Answer: Without access to the rink, Maya cannot rely on her usual outlet. This forces her to confront her emotions directly rather than sublimating them through physical exertion. Her struggles in Sicily—such as snapping at Conor or entering the “Mayageddon” competitive mode—show how vulnerable she becomes without skating. Eventually, she learns to process feelings through conversation and vulnerability, which marks her growth.
3. In what way does ice skating symbolize Maya’s desire for control?
Answer: Ice skating demands precision, balance, and self-discipline. Maya, who feels powerless in her relationships and family dynamics, can dictate every move on the ice. The rink is a realm where she is in charge—unlike her interactions with Conor, who controls the emotional distance, or Eli, who sets the family agenda. Skating is her way of reclaiming agency.
**4. How does the motif of ice skating connect to the theme of self-discovery?
Answer: Maya’s identity is long defined by grief and her role as the younger sibling. Ice skating offers a private space where she exists on her own terms, separate from her brother’s world and her crush on Conor. As she matures, she no longer needs the ice to feel whole. The fading of the symbol mirrors her journey toward self-acceptance and emotional independence.
For more on Maya’s emotional journey, see the main book page, the character profile for Maya Killgore, and the theme analysis on emotional vulnerability and communication.