Flawless

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of emotional abuse.

Bull riding is not just a career for Rhett; it is something that he has convinced himself he can’t live without. He says, “Riding bulls is a high I can’t replace. A rush I can’t stop chasing” (41). The sport symbolizes the dichotomy between risk and control and the battle between weakness and strength. Throughout the novel, bull riding becomes a metaphor for Rhett’s and Summer’s transformative journeys, which take place at the complex intersection of resilience, recklessness, and self-discovery. Riding a raging bull is an attempt to tame pure chaos, and this dynamic image captures the tension between control and surrender, acting as a powerful metaphor for Rhett’s life and his relationship with Summer. On the surface, he thrives in a world where physical strength and endurance define success, but the inherent unpredictability of bull riding also reflects Rhett’s internal fears, illustrating the fact that his external pressures and personal insecurities threaten to destroy his sense of stability. As Rhett begins to move beyond the ambition of staying on a bull for eight seconds, his bull-riding career becomes a metaphor for exploring his willingness to build a more meaningful life beyond this dangerous vocation.