Wait
Part I: Home Chapter 2
by Burnham, GabriellaElise sits alone on the deck of a ferry, surrounded by strangers enjoying a summer outing, yet she feels isolated and disconnected. The salty, gasoline-tinged air and the ferry’s engine drown out the natural sounds of the sea, mirroring Elise’s internal turmoil. She searches for familiar faces but finds only tourists, highlighting her sense of alienation from the place she once called home. Despite the discomfort inside the ferry’s cabin, with its familiar yet unappealing smells and worn seats, she clings to the deck, caught between wanting to escape and the need to stay grounded in her surroundings.
As the ferry reaches open water, Elise shares a brief moment with an elderly man, borrowing a cigarette from him while struggling with the inability to contact her mother. Her repeated unsent texts underscore the strained and distant relationship between them. This emotional distance is deepened by a recent phone call with her mother, Gilda, who was preoccupied with the death of a family dog rather than Elise’s upcoming graduation. The contrast between Elise’s hopes and her mother’s distractions exposes the fragile and complicated family dynamics that shape her experience.
Elise reflects on her mother’s constrained life, marked by years of isolation and hardship, and the elusive dream of connecting with their Brazilian relatives. The narrative conveys the cyclical nature of waiting and longing, as Gilda’s past years of confinement on Nantucket mirror Elise’s current feelings of stasis. The ferry worker’s reprimand for smoking jolts Elise back to reality as she prepares to disembark, symbolizing the end of one phase and the uncertain beginning of another as she returns to her hometown.
Upon arrival, Elise is greeted by Mr. Wagner, a neighbor whose familiarity contrasts with her recent solitude. Their conversation reveals the passage of time and the subtle changes in relationships within the community. As Elise approaches her family home, the worn condition of the house reflects the passage of time and underlying struggles. The chapter closes with a tentative invitation to dinner, suggesting a potential for reconnection amidst the lingering tensions and unspoken challenges that define Elise’s journey home.
FAQs
1. How does the author use sensory details on the ferry to establish the mood and setting in the chapter?
Answer:
The author employs vivid sensory descriptions to immerse the reader in the ferry environment, setting a mood of discomfort and alienation. The smell of “seaweed and gasoline,” the “rumbling engine,” and the “plash of waves” convey a gritty, noisy atmosphere. Elise’s discomfort with the “smell of boiled hot dogs” and the “subs wrapped in cellophane” highlights her detachment from the tourists around her. The imagery of “booth seats torn down the middle, as brazen and ragged as unstitched scars” metaphorically reflects a sense of wear and imperfection, mirroring Elise’s internal state. These sensory elements establish a vivid, uneasy setting that frames Elise’s emotional experience during the ferry ride.2. What does Elise’s interaction with the older man on the ferry reveal about her character and current emotional state?
Answer:
Elise’s approach to the older man for a cigarette suggests a need for connection and comfort in an isolating moment. Despite the noise and wind, she persists in asking for a cigarette, indicating a desire for something familiar or grounding. Her leaning “her belly against the handrail” and her attempt to send a text to her mother that fails repeatedly reflect a sense of frustration and loneliness. This interaction subtly exposes Elise’s vulnerability and isolation, emphasizing her struggle to communicate and connect with her family, especially given her mother’s emotional preoccupations and absence.3. How does the chapter portray the relationship between Elise and her mother, Gilda? What challenges are evident?
Answer:
The chapter reveals a strained and distant relationship between Elise and her mother, Gilda. Gilda’s preoccupation with the dog Clinton’s accident overshadows Elise’s graduation, illustrating a disconnect in priorities and emotional availability. Elise’s repeated failed attempts to reach her mother via text underscore communication difficulties. Additionally, Gilda’s inability to leave the country and her history of spending years isolated on Nantucket highlight a complex family dynamic marked by emotional and physical separation. These challenges contribute to Elise’s feelings of alienation and her tentative hope for future connection through plans to visit Brazil.4. In what ways does the setting of Elise’s hometown and home environment contribute to the themes of the chapter?
Answer:
Elise’s hometown and home environment are depicted as worn and fading, symbolizing themes of change, decay, and nostalgia. The description of the “small, square cottage” with “shingles… black and splintering” and a lawn “mostly crabgrass and dandelions” reflects a sense of decline and impermanence. This physical setting mirrors Elise’s internal state and the transitional phase of leaving college and returning home. The presence of neighbors like Mr. Wagner, who have known her for years, contrasts with Elise’s own feelings of disconnection and growth. Together, these elements underscore themes of belonging, loss, and the challenges of returning to a place that no longer feels fully familiar.5. What role do secondary characters, such as Mr. Wagner and Sophie, play in this chapter in relation to Elise’s journey?
Answer:
Secondary characters like Mr. Wagner and Sophie provide context and contrast to Elise’s experience, highlighting her social environment and emotional landscape. Mr. Wagner represents a stable, familiar presence from Elise’s past, offering practical support (such as picking her up from the ferry) and initiating conversation that reveals the passing of time and changes in Elise’s life. Sophie, Elise’s sister, is briefly mentioned in repose, suggesting a quieter, perhaps more settled counterpart to Elise’s restless state. These characters frame Elise’s journey as one of transition and reflection, emphasizing her feelings of disconnection while also grounding her within a community and family network.
Quotes
1. “She searches the clusters of twentysomethings in fleece vests and regatta hats, trying to find a local she might recognize, someone she grew up with, but all she sees are summer people.”
This quote highlights Elise’s sense of disconnection and alienation from her surroundings, emphasizing the theme of belonging and the contrast between locals and transient visitors. It sets the tone for her internal conflict and the chapter’s exploration of home and identity.
2. “Elise taps the cigarette, ashes scattering into the crested waves. Her gut aches whenever she imagines stepping foot in Gilda’s homeland when her mother can’t leave the country, replaying a loop of seasons that turn on and off.”
This passage poignantly captures Elise’s emotional struggle with family separation and the barriers that distance her from her heritage. It reveals the chapter’s deeper layer of personal and familial constraints shaping Elise’s experience.
3. “She watches as the other passengers pile into booth seats torn down the middle, as brazen and ragged as unstitched scars.”
This vivid metaphor conveys the worn, fractured nature of the environment Elise inhabits, symbolizing broader themes of fragmentation and imperfection in her life and community. It is a striking image that underscores the chapter’s mood.
4. “A new text to her mother is already open, the message drafted and poised. Elise: Are you there? She presses send, but a red error mark appears. Scrolling up, she counts the number of messages (Are you there?) that have gone unsent (sixteen) and returns the phone to her pocket.”
This moment crystallizes the theme of communication breakdown and emotional distance between Elise and her mother. It serves as a key turning point revealing the emotional isolation that permeates the chapter.
5. “Elise shakes her head. I haven’t been back in four years.”
This simple statement underscores the passage of time and the physical and emotional distance that have grown between Elise and her home. It reflects the chapter’s broader exploration of absence, change, and the complexity of returning to one’s roots.