The Deal

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of rape, child abuse, and physical abuse.

Throughout the narrative, both Garrett and Hannah face and overcome some of the past trauma that they have been carrying from their respective childhood and adolescence. For Garrett, being the son of Phil Graham—a hockey legend who is publicly admired by everyone, including Garrett’s own teammates—is more of a curse than a blessing. Garrett alone carries the dark secret of his father’s physical abuse and worries that Phil’s abusive tendencies will also surface in his own behavior; the prospect of becoming like his father is therefore his greatest fear. For Hannah, the sexual assault that she survived has created deep yet invisible scars that continue to haunt her everyday life, and it is only with Garrett’s support and empathy that she learns to overcome these challenges. Ultimately, both characters experience uniquely healing and transformative journeys that are made possible by their mutual support and understanding for one another.

Unlike Hannah’s inhibitions, Garrett’s past experience with abuse has left him with few issues in his own daily activities, but he does have a complicated relationship with hockey thanks to Phil’s history of violence, and he also fears his own potential to become like his father someday.