Never Never

While struggling to understand the amnesia loops, Charlie experiences a moment of clarity when she spots her own tattoo—that of a silhouetted grove of trees. Upon removing Silas’s shirt, she finds a tattoo in the same place, though his depicts a string of black pearls. She feels soothed, having found connection. Amid the loops, the pair’s tattoos symbolize the permanence of love in an otherwise uncertain world. For Charlie in particular, agreeing to a tattoo as someone who fears pain and risk of infection is her way of showing her commitment to Silas. The tattoos thus become lasting, reassuring reminders that they’ll always have each other’s backs.

Because neither teen’s family approves of their relationship, they choose subtle, symbolic representations of their names—with “Silas” deriving from the Greek word for “forest” (Charlie’s tattoo) and Charlie’s middle name, Margaret, deriving from the Greek word for “pearl” (Silas’s tattoo). In addition to symbolizing the permanence of their love, the tattoos suggest intimacy, a secret to keep out the forces that drive them apart. Silas tells his mother that his tattoo represents the pearly gates of heaven, while Charlie tells her mother that her tattoo represents her love of the earth. In this, the tattoos allow the lovers a space of their own.