You Are Here

The novel’s title provides a multifaceted motif. On a literal level, it refers to each point that Marnie and Michael reach on the Coast to Coast Walk. The novel’s subheadings, such as “Day Three: Borrowdale, Grasmere, Glenridding” (127), underscore the protagonists’ perpetual motion as they complete each phase of the route and encounter changing landscapes.

On a figurative level, “You Are Here” refers to the characters’ emotional development on the walk, highlighting The Transformative Power of Travel and Nature. The novel presents the route as an emotional journey for the protagonists as they transition from solitude and loneliness to meaningful connection. During the walk, they gradually lower the inner barriers they constructed as a result of painful experiences in the past. Thus, when Marnie points out the tag “You are Here” on a map, both protagonists fall “quiet for a moment, taking in how far they’d travelled, where they were heading” (235). Marnie and Michael reflect on not only the geographical distance they covered but also their personal growth and increased intimacy. The direction in which they’re heading alludes to the future potential of their relationship.