Why Doesn't Eli Shower?

[Bloody Mary]

Why did Eli never bathe or wash his clothes before meeting Oskar? Also, why did Hakan seem upset when he said he'd cleaned up? Sorry if someone has posted this already.

[a_contemplative_life]

Maybe people who are terminally depressed don't really care how they smell?

[EEA]

Maybe because Eli doesn't see a reason for it until she meets Oskar who she wants to be friends with.

[metoo]

Maybe because he was born in a period when personal hygiene was less practiced than today?

[gkmoberg1]

Yes on both. And it reflects Eli's predicament. After 200 years, he's still living at the bottom of society. He's not unlike a refugee yet a refugee that still lives where he did before. True, he has money and some clever items, but that's about it (as far as we know). He's living with a less then desirable adult and doesn't seem to have any real plans. Really not much to show for 200 years. Even if 1/2 that time has been spent being dormant, it's clear he doesn't have the faculties to build a better life for himself. Rather he's a waif wandering through time. Not bothering to bathe seems to fit well with the mindset -for what us mortals can guess at- for such a cheerless existence. What he was going through 20 or 10 years ago is, thus, likely the same as last year, or last month, and so likely the same as the present, and were it not for having met Oskar, the expectation would be that tomorrow will be like today. But in that moment at the jungle gym when Oskar woke up something lost inside Eli, that changed.

[Bloody Mary]

That's true, but why does Hakan seem irritated when Eli says that he took a shower?

[gattoparde59]

One of the things I took away from this is the way people learn the right behavior from other people. Eli has virtually no social life so he has no role models so to speak, except for the pedophile companions. I get the feeling that Oskar has the same problems only not as acute as Eli. When they are out on the swings Eli says something about Oskar helping him to not be so "strange." For me it is one of the endearing things about their relationship. Eli makes a conscious effort to dress and talk and play like Oskar.

Hakan is alarmed at Eli taking a shower because he is insanely jealous and drunk at the time if I recall correctly. He is also alarmed that Eli borrowed the Rubik's Cube. "You never borrow anything from anybody!" Hakan is very insecure about his relationship with Eli so any change in Eli's behavior or mood freaks him out. It does not say much for Mr. Hakan that he has no problem with a stinky Eli.

[Jameron]

That's true, but why does Hakan seem irritated when Eli says that he took a shower?

This is because Håkan is jealous of Eli making that effort for Oskar whilst never doing the same for him. He resents Eli and Oskar's carefree (at that point) relationship...

Last night he had been lying in bed with the window cracked open. Listened to Eli saying goodbye to that Oskar. Their high voices, laughter. A lightness he could never achieve. His was the leaden seriousness, the demands, the desire.

It is summed up nicely by the line...

Replaceable. He was replaceable.

He loves Eli with every ounce of his existence, he is willing to (and actually does) sacrifice himself at her feet because of that love ... and this is the thanks he gets ... this is his reward ... to be replaced (as he sees it). Håkan is also envious of Jocke, for having Eli's "lips against his skin" while he was being drained of life. He is very possessive of Eli, which is a sure sign that even though he wants to receive love in return for his, he doesn't quite feel that he deserves it, or that he is worthy of it. Håkan's self loathing is almost an extra character in the story.

.

[Elias Eriksson]

Do you guys think that she can not feel her own smell? Maybe in the same sense that she doesn't feel cold? It could either mean she is accustomed or she can't really biologically smell it? I don't remember if the book talks about this.

[intrige]

I have always thought Eli was just depressed. Depressed people don't feel like showering because they usually don't g out much, and even more so, don't feel like they have anyone to shower/look nice for.
When Eli met Oskar, his personal hygiene blossomed, along with his happiness. So cheesy.