Tell the Wolves I'm Home

Content Warning: This section contains references to anti-gay bias, the stigmatization of HIV/AIDS, and death.

The novel’s title is taken from the title of Finn’s portrait of June and Greta. This, coupled with the fact that its creation is the focus of the opening chapter, immediately situates its importance. Initially, sitting for the portrait is an occasion that June looks forward to: It is an opportunity to spend time with Finn in his apartment, and June relishes the attention Finn must inevitably pay to her as he studies her. Greta, however, claims to despise these sessions and soon quits attending them, establishing the sisters’ strained relationship. After Finn’s death, June and the rest of the family instantly regard the painting as symbolic of Finn’s talent and a reminder of his life. However, when it is discovered to be of monetary value, June’s parents lock it away for safekeeping. This gesture symbolizes the way in which Danielle declines to address difficult subjects directly, such as insisting that June must move beyond her grief for Finn and not dwell on it. It is as if, by locking away the painting, Finn—and the stigma associated with his death—can be forgotten.

When Toby reveals that Finn’s aim in painting the portrait was to ensure that Greta and June remain close, June has mixed feelings.