The List: A Novel

The motif of representation supports the theme of Blurred Boundaries Between Personal Lives, Work, and Activism. As representatives of “#BlackLove” and “good” Black people, Ola and Michael face the pressure to conform to the high expectations put on them by internet users. Representation is an all-consuming obligation that destabilizes the boundaries between their personal lives, their careers, and their activism. Ola is perceived as an inspiring Black woman because her career links to her activism, and both her career and her activism play a part in her choice to marry Michael. However, The List damages Ola and Michael's status as representatives. Ola could salvage her status as a representative by calling off the marriage, but because she senses Michael’s innocence, she cannot take decisive action.

In a sense, Ola and Michael occupy the same status as politicians, whose personal lives can either help or hurt their political careers. Just as a scandal can ruin a once-adulated politician, the scandal with The List ruins Ola and Michael’s shared role as representatives. Ola and Michael recover from this setback not by retaking their roles as representatives but by reclaiming their individual lives. As the story ends, they no longer represent anyone but themselves.