The Storyteller
Chapter 14: eo 3
by Picoult, JodiThe chapter opens with Leo, a professional investigator, reviewing a photo array of Reiner Hartmann, a suspect from an SS file, while his mother calls to share a surreal dream about his nonexistent son. Distracted by his work, Leo struggles to engage with her, though their conversation reveals his mother’s persistent concern for his personal life. The dream, involving roots growing from her feet, serves as a metaphor for her hopes for Leo’s future, while he deflects with humor. Their exchange highlights their close yet fraught relationship, as Leo balances familial expectations with his demanding career.
Leo’s thoughts shift to Sage Singer, a woman he recently met, whom he admires for her resilience and warmth despite her emotional baggage. He reflects on her connection to Adam, a married man, and his own unexpected attraction to her. This introspection surprises him, as he typically avoids emotional entanglements. His mother’s earlier advice about self-care resurfaces, but Leo dismisses it, focusing instead on his professional task: presenting the photo array to Sage’s grandmother, Minka, a Holocaust survivor. The contrast between his sterile apartment and Sage’s cozy home underscores his longing for a life less defined by work.
Upon arriving at Sage’s house, Leo is struck by her appearance and the comforting atmosphere of her home, which starkly contrasts his own impersonal living space. Their banter about nail polish and magazines lightens the mood, but underlying tensions remain, particularly regarding Sage’s unresolved feelings for Adam. Leo’s observation that Sage remembers how he takes his tea subtly signals his growing affection for her. However, their conversation is cut short as they prepare to meet Minka, refocusing on the investigation.
The chapter captures Leo’s internal conflict between professional detachment and personal desire, as well as his complicated relationship with his mother. His attraction to Sage complicates his mission, blurring the line between work and personal life. The narrative weaves together themes of family, memory, and identity, as Leo navigates his emotions while pursuing justice for Minka. The chapter ends on an unresolved note, leaving readers curious about the impending photo identification and the evolving dynamic between Leo and Sage.
FAQs
1. How does Leo’s mother attempt to intervene in his personal life during their phone conversation, and what does this reveal about their relationship?
Answer:
Leo’s mother uses a dream about his nonexistent son as a segue to suggest he meet Rachel Zweig, a massage therapist in Nashua. This reveals her persistent concern about his personal life and her tendency to meddle, which Leo both resists and humorously tolerates. Their banter shows a close but somewhat strained dynamic—while Leo deflects with jokes (“That you’re deciduous?”), he ultimately engages to avoid further family drama. The exchange highlights her Jewish mother archetype (focusing on marriage prospects) and Leo’s conflicted feelings about her interference versus his appreciation for her care (“I love you, Ma”).2. Analyze the significance of Leo’s internal monologue about Sage Singer. What contradictions does he grapple with?
Answer:
Leo’s thoughts about Sage reveal a tension between professional detachment and personal attraction. He imagines his mother approving Sage’s nurturing qualities (cooking, family loyalty) but disapproving her atheism, despite her Holocaust-survivor grandmother “earning points.” This reflects his own conflicted stance: he acknowledges Sage is “a means to a witness” yet fantasizes about their compatibility. His self-awareness (“why I’m thinking of marrying a woman I met yesterday”) underscores his vulnerability, especially when contrasting himself with Adam—triggering insecurities from past romantic rejections. The passage captures Leo’s struggle to separate work from emotional impulses.3. How does the description of Sage’s home contrast with Leo’s apartment, and what might this symbolize about their personalities?
Answer:
Sage’s home is described as a “favorite sweatshirt”—cozy, warm, and inviting, with baked goods and soft lighting. This contrasts sharply with Leo’s Washington apartment of “black leather and chrome and right angles,” suggesting sterility and rigidity. The dichotomy symbolizes their personalities: Sage embodies emotional openness and nostalgia (her mother’s influence), while Leo’s space reflects his disciplined, professional persona. His unexpected admiration for her home (“you’re perfect… I mean, you look perfect”) hints at his longing for the comfort she represents, further emphasizing their thematic opposition.4. What does the interaction about Sage remembering Leo’s tea preferences reveal about their developing dynamic?
Answer:
Sage serving Leo tea “just the way [he] took it last night” is a subtle but powerful moment. Her attentiveness surprises and moves him (“makes me feel like I’ve taken flight”), suggesting she is more observant than she appears. This contrasts with her self-deprecating claim of being “good at pushing people away,” revealing an underlying capacity for care. For Leo, such small gestures carry weight because they imply being seen—a rarity in his transactional work life. The exchange foreshadows deeper connection potential, even as both characters deflect with humor (“nail polish” banter).5. Evaluate how Leo’s profession influences his personal interactions in this chapter. Provide specific examples.
Answer:
Leo’s work as a Nazi-hunter (analyzing Reiner Hartmann’s file) bleeds into his personal life in two key ways. First, he initially dismisses his mother’s dream because he’s preoccupied with witness identification logistics (“wonder if Minka will not be able to make an ID”). Second, he admits using humor to cope with his job’s gravity (“what I do… is so hard to understand, I need to let it go”). Even his attraction to Sage is framed through investigative metaphors (“hunting down people… less luck finding someone to keep”). These examples show how his profession fosters hyper-rationality and emotional guardedness, complicating his relationships.
Quotes
1. “I realize that this is true.” (Leo reflecting on his mother’s comment about his work)
This moment captures Leo’s self-awareness about using humor as a coping mechanism for his emotionally heavy profession as a Nazi hunter, revealing his vulnerability beneath the sarcasm.
2. “She would look at her scar and think of her as a survivor. She would appreciate the way Sage still grieves for her own mom, and her close attachment to her grandmother—since to my mother, family is the carbon atom at the base of all life-forms.”
This quote reveals Leo’s growing attraction to Sage while also showcasing his mother’s values and how they influence his perspective on relationships and family bonds.
3. “I spend my life hunting down people who want to stay lost, but I have had considerably less luck finding someone I’d like to keep around for a while.”
This poignant admission highlights the central tension in Leo’s life - his professional success versus personal loneliness - and foreshadows his developing feelings for Sage.
4. “It is the kind of place you could settle down for a few moments and wake up, years later, because you never left.”
Leo’s description of Sage’s home contrasts sharply with his own sterile apartment, symbolizing the warmth and comfort he finds lacking in his life and which Sage represents to him.
5. “There’s something about that—her remembering—that makes me feel like I’ve taken flight.”
This moment captures the blossoming connection between Leo and Sage, showing how small, thoughtful gestures can have profound emotional impact in developing relationships.