Boyfriend Material

Bathroom doors appear or are referenced three times throughout the text, each time during a moment of high emotional vulnerability. Luc first breaks up with Oliver through a locked bathroom door after reading Cam’s article; the next morning, he talks to Oliver through a different bathroom door when describing the way his ex-boyfriend betrayed him. Finally, when Oliver breaks up with Luc, Luc offers, desperately and hopefully, to let him go into the bathroom to process his feelings instead of ending their relationship.

Bathroom doors are a symbol of discomfort. Luc shows that he can only process his emotions and share intimate information when being protected. A bathroom door shields him from rejection and pity. By hiding in the bathroom behind a closed door, Luc does not have to face Oliver. This gives him the chance to honestly express himself without needing to be reactive.

Bathrooms are typically places where people can be vulnerable and go when they do not want to be seen. This makes Luc’s final appeal to Oliver even more significant, as he seeks to rekindle their relationship while standing on the street outside of Oliver’s house. He goes from a bathroom, the most private of spaces, to a street, the most public, indicating his dedication to their relationship.