You'd think in a city like London, which is bustling with people, that you'd never feel alone. But many people do. It can be like swimming in a sea of strangers, and it can feel intensely lonely. Despite having a lot in common, the female characters in The Girl on the Train don't really interact with one another in a friendly way. Hence the title The Girl on the Train instead of Girls on the Train. There may be a whole crowd of commuters, but Rachel feels entirely alone.
Questions About Isolation
- Megan, Anna, and Rachel often feel lonely. Whose fault is it that they're lonely? Could you see any of them being friends?
- Do the male characters ever get lonely?
- Why does Rachel choose to be by herself at the end of the book?
- Megan is scared of being alone, yet she plans on running away. Would that plan of hers have worked if Tom hadn't killed her?