The Troubles
The backdrop of the novel is the Irish Troubles specifically at the cusp of the conflict during the 1994 IRA ceasefire. As such, the narrative portrays the people of Belfast as ravaged by the political tensions and violence. The author focuses on the effect the series of bombings and violence has had on the Irish people rather than on the conflict itself. Therefore, the Troubles is described as an entity that has become sewn in the fabric of society. However, the events take place amid the possible ceasefire and peace negotiations thus hints a paradigm shift.
Love
The narrative opens with the line “All stories are love stories” which proves right because love is the main motif. Though the story happens during political tensions and violence, Chuckie and Jake are more focused on their personal lives. Both are in a quest to seek love, of which Chuckie is lucky as he falls in love with an American woman named Max. Jake has just left a two-year relationship which leaves him devastated and erratic. What’s more, he delves into a string of short-term relationships in the hopes of finding love but with no fruition. Eventually, he and Max’s friend Aoirghe become romantically involved by the end of the narrative.
Alcoholism
Both Chuckie and Jake have a reality check after realizing they have yet to accomplish anything at the age of thirty. Their failure is attributed to alcoholism in their younger years therefore Chuckie dedicates himself to accumulating wealth. On the other hand, Jake stumbles his way towards self-improvement as he regresses to his old ways of alcoholism and fights. Alcoholism is demonstrated as a coping mechanism to deal with hopelessness in a violent and politically unstable environment.
Get-rich-quick Schemes
Chuckie is an entrepreneur at heart but devises bizarre ideas to accumulate as much money in a short span. He invests in get-rich-quick schemes that manage to pull him out of the poverty that he was born into. For instance, he concocts a scam that involves advertising sex toys –of which he does not possess – in the newspaper. Moreover, he manipulates the economic programs meant to regenerate Northern Ireland after the long-winded conflicts.
Politics and Religion
The narrative highlights the political dynamic in Belfast during the Troubles that crossed into the religious sphere. The divide between Protestants and Catholics arose from the Unionists' disagreement with the Irish nationalists over remaining within the United Kingdom. Each of the two central characters hails from a different religious background from the other but they hardly identify with it. The political tensions that foster the hatred and violence in Belfast either make some fanatics or impartial.
