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    Literary FictionWomen's Fiction

    Wait

    by Burnham, Gabriella
    “Wait” by Gabriella Burnham is a coming-of-age novel set on Nantucket Island, focusing on two Brazilian American sisters, Elise and Sophie. After their undocumented mother is deported, the sisters navigate complex family dynamics, identity, and self-sufficiency amidst socioeconomic challenges. The narrative explores themes of immigration, belonging, and resilience in a nuanced portrayal of contemporary American life.
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    Wait

    Part I: Home Chapter 4

    by Burnham, Gabriella

    In Chap­ter 4, “Wait,” Elise con­fronts the chal­lenges of dai­ly life amidst uncer­tain­ty and absence. An unno­ticed rain drench­es her as she inspects the flat tire on Gilda’s car, sym­bol­iz­ing the hid­den trou­bles in their lives. Deter­mined to main­tain nor­mal­cy, Elise plans to dri­ve her daugh­ter Sophie to her high school grad­u­a­tion and pur­chase a cel­e­bra­to­ry cake, reflect­ing her desire to hold onto fam­i­ly mile­stones despite the grow­ing void left by Gilda’s dis­ap­pear­ance. The dis­cov­ery of a hid­den spare tire in the car’s trunk high­lights over­looked solu­tions and the com­plex­i­ties of their strained fam­i­ly dynam­ics.

    As weeks pass with­out any news from Gil­da, Elise’s attempts to gath­er infor­ma­tion reveal sys­temic obsta­cles and emo­tion­al bar­ri­ers. The hospital’s mal­func­tion­ing sys­tem and unhelp­ful recep­tion­ist frus­trate her efforts, under­scor­ing the iso­la­tion she feels. Elise’s reluc­tance to involve the police, due to Gilda’s strict rule against it, illus­trates the deep-seat­ed mis­trust and fear with­in the fam­i­ly. Yet, des­per­a­tion push­es her toward con­sid­er­ing offi­cial chan­nels, expos­ing the painful ten­sion between seek­ing help and respect­ing Gilda’s wish­es.

    The chap­ter also delves into the sis­ters’ resilience and resource­ful­ness as they adapt to their dif­fi­cult cir­cum­stances. Sophie’s unkempt appear­ance and their makeshift laun­dry rou­tine reveal the strain on their dai­ly lives. Elise’s reluc­tant descent into the cel­lar, con­fronting filth and decay, sym­bol­izes her will­ing­ness to face unpleas­ant real­i­ties to sup­port her fam­i­ly. Their joint effort to find the car jack and change the tire, aid­ed by an online tuto­r­i­al, demon­strates their deter­mi­na­tion to regain con­trol and solve prob­lems despite lim­it­ed expe­ri­ence and resources.

    Ulti­mate­ly, the chap­ter por­trays a poignant por­trait of wait­ing and endurance amid uncer­tain­ty. Elise and Sophie’s small victories—finding the spare tire and learn­ing to change it—serve as metaphors for hope and agency in a time of wait­ing and loss. The nar­ra­tive bal­ances the mun­dane with the emo­tion­al, cap­tur­ing the com­plex­i­ty of fam­i­ly bonds test­ed by absence and the qui­et strength required to nav­i­gate an unsta­ble present while hold­ing onto the hope for a bet­ter future.

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    FAQs

    • 1. What challenges does Elise face in trying to find out about her missing mother, Gilda, and how do these challenges reflect the broader themes of the chapter?

      Answer:
      Elise encounters several obstacles in learning about Gilda’s whereabouts, including a hospital system outage that prevents access to patient information and a receptionist who is initially unhelpful. Additionally, Elise struggles with the emotional and ethical dilemma of involving the police, a step her mother strictly forbade. These challenges highlight themes of uncertainty, helplessness, and the tension between respect for Gilda’s wishes and the urgent need for information. The difficulty in communication and the reluctance to seek external help reflect the isolation and fragile family dynamics central to the chapter.

      2. How does the discovery of the spare tire in Gilda’s car trunk serve as a symbolic element in the story?

      Answer:
      The spare tire hidden in the trunk symbolizes overlooked resources and untapped solutions within the family’s current struggles. Elise’s surprise at finding the tire suggests that answers or help might be closer than they realize, yet unnoticed due to neglect or emotional distraction. It also reflects Gilda’s possible unpreparedness or denial about practical matters, paralleling the family’s broader state of disarray. This discovery acts as a metaphor for hope and self-reliance, encouraging Elise and Sophie to take control despite their difficult circumstances.

      3. Analyze the significance of the cellar and the piled garbage within the context of the chapter. What does this setting reveal about the family’s situation?

      Answer:
      The cellar, with its foul smell and accumulated trash, symbolizes the family’s neglect and the decay of their home life amid crisis. The fact that garbage has piled up for two months due to the broken car indicates a breakdown in daily routines and responsibilities. This neglected space mirrors the emotional and logistical chaos the family faces, emphasizing their struggle to maintain normalcy. The cellar’s unpleasantness also contrasts with Elise’s attempt to restore order, reinforcing themes of hardship, resilience, and the need to confront uncomfortable realities.

      4. In what ways do Elise and Sophie demonstrate adaptability and resourcefulness in this chapter? How might these qualities be important going forward?

      Answer:
      Elise and Sophie show adaptability by taking initiative to fix the flat tire themselves, searching for tools, and using online resources to learn how to change the tire. Despite the discouraging environment, they work together to solve practical problems, demonstrating resilience and growing independence. These qualities are crucial as they navigate their mother’s absence and the uncertainties ahead. Their ability to rely on each other and improvise with limited resources suggests a developing strength that will be vital for managing future challenges and maintaining their family’s stability.

      5. Reflect on the emotional impact of Gilda’s disappearance on Elise and Sophie as depicted in the chapter. How does the author convey their feelings through the narrative?

      Answer:
      The author conveys Elise and Sophie’s emotional turmoil through detailed descriptions of their actions and environment—Elise’s soaked pajamas and soaked hair evoke vulnerability, while Sophie’s unkempt appearance and reluctance to shower suggest neglect and stress. The repeated failed attempts to contact Gilda and the tension around involving the police illustrate their anxiety and helplessness. Dialogue reveals their fear and frustration, while the physical state of their home mirrors their internal disarray. Together, these elements paint a vivid picture of their confusion, worry, and the strain of coping without their mother’s presence.

    Quotes

    • 1. “Did her mother not know the solution was here this whole time?”

      This moment captures a poignant realization as Elise discovers a brand-new spare tire in her mother’s car trunk—a metaphor for overlooked solutions in their difficult circumstances. It reflects themes of hidden resources and the family’s struggle with neglect and survival.

      2. “Refusing to call the police, under any circumstances, was perhaps the only rule Gilda enforced.”

      This quote reveals the deep mistrust and fear of authority within the family, highlighting a critical barrier to seeking help when Gilda goes missing. It underscores the tension between self-reliance and vulnerability that permeates the chapter.

      3. “We couldn’t go to the dump with the car broken.”

      A simple yet powerful line that illustrates how practical obstacles compound the family’s hardships. It conveys the everyday challenges they face and the consequences of their limited means, shaping the narrative’s atmosphere of neglect and perseverance.

      4. “Hey, at least for once we own a tool we actually need.”

      Sophie’s wry comment upon finding the car jack encapsulates a rare moment of hope and agency amid chaos. It symbolizes a small but meaningful step toward taking control of their situation, reinforcing the chapter’s theme of empowerment through resourcefulness.

    Quotes

    1. “Did her mother not know the solution was here this whole time?”

    This moment captures a poignant realization as Elise discovers a brand-new spare tire in her mother’s car trunk—a metaphor for overlooked solutions in their difficult circumstances. It reflects themes of hidden resources and the family’s struggle with neglect and survival.

    2. “Refusing to call the police, under any circumstances, was perhaps the only rule Gilda enforced.”

    This quote reveals the deep mistrust and fear of authority within the family, highlighting a critical barrier to seeking help when Gilda goes missing. It underscores the tension between self-reliance and vulnerability that permeates the chapter.

    3. “We couldn’t go to the dump with the car broken.”

    A simple yet powerful line that illustrates how practical obstacles compound the family’s hardships. It conveys the everyday challenges they face and the consequences of their limited means, shaping the narrative’s atmosphere of neglect and perseverance.

    4. “Hey, at least for once we own a tool we actually need.”

    Sophie’s wry comment upon finding the car jack encapsulates a rare moment of hope and agency amid chaos. It symbolizes a small but meaningful step toward taking control of their situation, reinforcing the chapter’s theme of empowerment through resourcefulness.

    FAQs

    1. What challenges does Elise face in trying to find out about her missing mother, Gilda, and how do these challenges reflect the broader themes of the chapter?

    Answer:
    Elise encounters several obstacles in learning about Gilda’s whereabouts, including a hospital system outage that prevents access to patient information and a receptionist who is initially unhelpful. Additionally, Elise struggles with the emotional and ethical dilemma of involving the police, a step her mother strictly forbade. These challenges highlight themes of uncertainty, helplessness, and the tension between respect for Gilda’s wishes and the urgent need for information. The difficulty in communication and the reluctance to seek external help reflect the isolation and fragile family dynamics central to the chapter.

    2. How does the discovery of the spare tire in Gilda’s car trunk serve as a symbolic element in the story?

    Answer:
    The spare tire hidden in the trunk symbolizes overlooked resources and untapped solutions within the family’s current struggles. Elise’s surprise at finding the tire suggests that answers or help might be closer than they realize, yet unnoticed due to neglect or emotional distraction. It also reflects Gilda’s possible unpreparedness or denial about practical matters, paralleling the family’s broader state of disarray. This discovery acts as a metaphor for hope and self-reliance, encouraging Elise and Sophie to take control despite their difficult circumstances.

    3. Analyze the significance of the cellar and the piled garbage within the context of the chapter. What does this setting reveal about the family’s situation?

    Answer:
    The cellar, with its foul smell and accumulated trash, symbolizes the family’s neglect and the decay of their home life amid crisis. The fact that garbage has piled up for two months due to the broken car indicates a breakdown in daily routines and responsibilities. This neglected space mirrors the emotional and logistical chaos the family faces, emphasizing their struggle to maintain normalcy. The cellar’s unpleasantness also contrasts with Elise’s attempt to restore order, reinforcing themes of hardship, resilience, and the need to confront uncomfortable realities.

    4. In what ways do Elise and Sophie demonstrate adaptability and resourcefulness in this chapter? How might these qualities be important going forward?

    Answer:
    Elise and Sophie show adaptability by taking initiative to fix the flat tire themselves, searching for tools, and using online resources to learn how to change the tire. Despite the discouraging environment, they work together to solve practical problems, demonstrating resilience and growing independence. These qualities are crucial as they navigate their mother’s absence and the uncertainties ahead. Their ability to rely on each other and improvise with limited resources suggests a developing strength that will be vital for managing future challenges and maintaining their family’s stability.

    5. Reflect on the emotional impact of Gilda’s disappearance on Elise and Sophie as depicted in the chapter. How does the author convey their feelings through the narrative?

    Answer:
    The author conveys Elise and Sophie’s emotional turmoil through detailed descriptions of their actions and environment—Elise’s soaked pajamas and soaked hair evoke vulnerability, while Sophie’s unkempt appearance and reluctance to shower suggest neglect and stress. The repeated failed attempts to contact Gilda and the tension around involving the police illustrate their anxiety and helplessness. Dialogue reveals their fear and frustration, while the physical state of their home mirrors their internal disarray. Together, these elements paint a vivid picture of their confusion, worry, and the strain of coping without their mother’s presence.

    Note