Heroism
As the title of The Hero of This Book suggests, heroism is an important theme in the novel. The narrator's mother, who had to contend with tremendous hardship and turmoil throughout her life, was in many ways a hero in the eyes of the narrator. She did her best to give the narrator the best and most fulfilling life that she could. Her mother was also incredibly generous with her and the rest of the world; she was also a hero for raising a child on her own.
Living life to its fullest
Despite her past, the narrator of The Hero of This Book lives life to its fullest. Even after the death of the narrator's mother, in fact, she retraces the steps of their lives together. She never stops living her life, in other words, even after her life shifts dramatically. One of the biggest lessons of McCracken's book, in fact, is to live life to its fullest no matter the circumstances you find yourself in.
Love
Love is another important theme in The Hero of This Book. Much of the book is devoted to the exploration of the narrator's love for her mother. Did she really love her mother? Or was she simply devoted to her? And did her mother love her? Or was she simply devoted to the narrator? Love, as the book explains, is complex. And the relationship between the narrator and her mother (and if the two really loved each other) was equally complex.
