Matheson 1

Maeve Matheson

Mrs. Cramer

College Comp 1

4 December 2020

From Within

“Don’t Look at the package, look at what’s on the inside.” (Page 273) This quote from

the main character contributes to the idea in the book that it is typically important to see past

looks in order to find out who someone truly is. Throughout the book this is one of the most

important matters that the characters have to overcome due to the circumstances of the story.

David Levithan’s Every Day  focuses on a recurring theme of it is what is on the inside that

matters most, teaching the readers to make the effort to understand people beyond their

appearances and find out who they truly are.  

Every day, main character A, wakes up in a different body. They are in love with a girl

named Rhiannon. She too has feelings for A and has to learn to love them no matter what body

they acquire each day. As hard as it is for her in the beginning, Rhiannon comes to enjoy

spending time with A no matter what they look like. The first time Rhiannon met A, it was when

they were in the body of her boyfriend Justin, and she did not even know it was not him for the

day. However, when A is in Justin’s body, they spend the day with Rhiannon, and she feels more

of a connection with her boyfriend than ever (pages 1-18). This shows us that even though she

was already attracted to Justin, she was much happier when A was him for the day and she did

not even know it. This is how she initially came to understand who A was beyond their

appearance, and she stayed attracted to the person inside even after they were not longer in the

body of her boyfriend. Once Rhiannon found out about A’s condition, she continued to want to
 Matheson 2

spend time with them no matter their unexpected appearance for the day. On pages 272-273, A is

in the body of a 300-pound man. After he and Rhiannon meet up, and she sees the body A is in,

she is still willing to go out with them to dinner and a movie. She enjoys being with A despite

their looks in the moment, proving that it is what is on the inside that matters to her, and is what

draws her attraction. These examples prove that after Rhiannon made the effort to understand A

beyond what they looked like, she found someone who she genuinely loves and cares for. This is

a lesson from the book that is key to understand when going through life.

Once a person is seen past what they look like, others are able to find out who they are

beyond their exterior, and that is where the strongest connections are made. When someone is

truly loved by another, even if appearances may have mattered at first, they become least

important in the scheme of things. In the book, When A is in the body of Zara, while thinking

about Rhiannon they ask Zara’s girlfriend if she would still love her if she woke up in a different

body every day. She quickly reassures her she would, because of how much she cares for her

(page 302). This shows that not only with A and Rhiannon, but with all those who are bonded by

love, that knowing a person for who they are that strongly, it does not matter what they look

physically look like. Towards the end of the book, on pages 306-321, A determines that the last

body they are in at the end of the book, Alexander, is a perfect match for Rhiannon and is

someone that will make her happy. Even though A does not want to leave her, they decide it is

what will be best for them both. When A reveals this plan to Rhiannon, she does not want them

to go even though she will get what they think is better out of the situation. She loves A, and

despite the perfect guy she will be left with, she is still sad to have to let A go. This showing that

even though the relationship had been extremely difficult, and she could

potentially have something much better, because of the love they share, she still longs for A to
 Matheson 3

stay. This shows that finding out who someone is on the inside, and loving them for it, is

something that cannot be replaced.

David Levithan’s Every Day focuses on a recurring theme of it is what is on the

inside that matters most, teaching the reader to make the effort to understand people beyond their

appearances, and find out who they truly are. The relationship formed between the two main

characters in the book proves that the theme is a true statement and is supported throughout the

story. If individuals only ever paid attention to another’s physical features, they may never

legitimately form true connections. The author makes a point to prove that connections like that

are key not only in the book, but also in real, everyday life.
 Matheson 4

Works Cited

Levithan, David. Every Day. New York: Knopf, 2012. Print