Eleanor and Park 

is set in Omaha, Nebraska, over the course of the school year from the fall of
1986 to the summer of 1987. The book is in the third person, and the narrative alternates
between Eleanor’s perspective and Park’s perspective. Eleanor Douglas is a tenth-grader who
has just transferred to a new high school. Eleanor stands out from the rest of the students in her
appearance, since she is “big and awkward,” has curly red hair, and wears men’s clothes with
unusual accessories. No one wants to make room for her on the bus, but Park eventually lets
her sit next to him. Eleanor is extremely smart and sharp, particularly excelling in English class.
Her home life, however, is deeply troubled. Eleanor, her mother, her abusive and alcoholic
stepfather Richie, and her four younger siblings, live in poverty. All the kids have to share one
bedroom, and they can’t afford a phone. Eleanor has just returned back to her house after her
the evil Richie kicked her out for a year. Richie terrorizes the whole family. Eleanor’s mom
wants to be a peacemaker and pretend that everything is fine, even though Richie is violent and
abusive. Eleanor doesn’t feel safe at home.
Fellow tenth-grade Park Sheridan feels like an outsider as well, though, unlike Eleanor, the
other kids don’t really tease him. Even though he’s lived in Omaha his whole life, he doesn’t feel
any deep connection to the other students at school. He is Asian American, which is very rare in
Omaha, and he likes music and comic books. Park’s home life is much more welcoming than
Eleanor’s, since his parents have a loving relationship and they have a comfortable lifestyle.
However, Park faces tensions at home, since his dad wants him to be more masculine, and
Park always feels like he’s letting him down
When Eleanor sits down on the bus next to Park, they are both sullen and resentful of the
situation, especially since they both know the unspoken social code that once you choose your
bus seat, you’re locked in to it for the year. Soon, however, this changes radically. Eleanor and
Park slowly begin to form a connection over the course of their bus rides. They first build their
relationship silently by listening to music and reading comic books together. Eventually, their
relationship grows, they start talking, and their bus rides become the best parts of their days.
When they finally hold hands, sparks fly. Park and Eleanor become infatuated with each other.
Park tells Eleanor that he loves her, and Eleanor expresses her affection in many ways, yet she
doesn’t ever say that she loves him back.

Though Eleanor and Park’s relationship blossoms, other parts of their lives do not go as
well. Eleanor gets bullied at school, especially in the gym locker room, where the other
girls cover her locker in sanitary pads and flush her clothes in the toilet. Park beats up
Steve, a bully, for leading taunts against Eleanor. Eleanor’s home life also gets worse
and worse. When Eleanor hears gunshots one night, she calls the police, which makes
Richie angrier than ever.

Park and Eleanor both display some range of gender expression. Eleanor likes to wear
men’s ties and shirts. Park’s mom has a tough time accepting Eleanor at first, because
Eleanor doesn’t care about traditionally feminine beauty standards. But when Park’s
mom realizes the hardships that Eleanor has been through, she can relate to her, and
she sees that Eleanor is good for Park. Park discovers that he enjoys wearing eyeliner,
which makes his dad furious, since his dad wants him to be more traditionally
masculine. However, when Park sticks up for Eleanor and comes into his own as a
confident person, Park’s dad eventually accepts Park for who he is.
The climax of the story comes when Eleanor returns home one night, just after she and Park kiss,
to find that Richie destroyed her box of private possessions, which include mix tapes Park had
made her and makeup from Park’s mom. Richie leaves Eleanor a threatening note, which makes
Eleanor realize that Richie has been the one leaving lewd messages all over her textbooks that
year. Eleanor escapes from the house. Two of the biggest bullies at school, Tina and Steve, help
her out even though they’ve never been nice to her before because they can see that Richie is
pure evil. Eleanor realizes that the one person she might be able to live with is her uncle in
Minnesota, and Park immediately offers to drive her there. Eleanor and Park have a very
bittersweet trip, because they know it might be the last time they see each other for a long time.
After they part, Park tries sending letters and packages to Eleanor, but she is too upset to even let
herself open them, and she never replies. Eventually, a heartbroken Park tapers off
communication and tries to move on. At the very end of the novel, Eleanor finally writes Park a
postcard that contains just three words. These words are not disclosed to the reader.

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