Search Jump: Comments
    Chapter Index
    Back to Story

    Leaving Time

    by

    Picoult, Jodi

    “Leaving Time” by Jodi Picoult is a gripping novel that intertwines mystery, grief, and the bond between humans and elephants. The story follows Jenna Metcalf, a 13-year-old girl searching for her mother, Alice, a renowned elephant researcher who disappeared a decade earlier under mysterious circumstances. With the help of a skeptical psychic and a disgraced detective, Jenna uncovers buried secrets about her mother’s work and the tragic events at an elephant sanctuary. The novel explores themes of memory, loss, and maternal love, while weaving in fascinating insights into elephant behavior and emotions. Picoult blends emotional depth with suspense, culminating in a surprising twist that redefines the narrative.

    PreviousNext
    Leaving Time

    Chapter 35: Serenity

    by

    Picoult, Jodi

    The chap­ter “Seren­i­ty” fol­lows a medi­um attempt­ing to help Jen­na con­nect with her deceased moth­er, Alice. The nar­ra­tor reflects on her past expe­ri­ences with spir­it com­mu­ni­ca­tion, com­par­ing open chan­nel­ing to a chaot­ic news con­fer­ence. She prefers tar­get­ed con­nec­tions through spir­it guides, liken­ing them to tele­phone oper­a­tors. The group vis­its a sacred spot at an ele­phant sanc­tu­ary, where Jen­na recalls mem­o­ries with her moth­er. The set­ting, marked by pur­ple mush­rooms and a giant oak, holds sig­nif­i­cance as the bur­ial site of an ele­phant calf, sug­gest­ing a mys­ti­cal con­nec­tion between nature and mem­o­ry.

    Jen­na, Vir­gil, and the medi­um form a cir­cle to sum­mon Alice’s spir­it. The nar­ra­tor empha­sizes the impor­tance of pos­i­tive ener­gy, chastis­ing Vir­gil for his skep­ti­cism. Jen­na shares heart­felt sto­ries she invent­ed to explain her moth­er’s absence, reveal­ing her deep long­ing. Despite her emo­tion­al out­pour­ing, no spir­i­tu­al con­tact occurs ini­tial­ly. The medi­um, des­per­ate to help, fab­ri­cates a vision of Alice to pro­voke Jen­na’s rawest emo­tions. This manip­u­la­tion trig­gers Jen­na’s anguished cry for her moth­er, a moment the medi­um believes might final­ly bridge the gap between the liv­ing and the dead.

    The chap­ter explores themes of grief, belief, and the lengths peo­ple go to for clo­sure. The medi­um’s decep­tion rais­es eth­i­cal ques­tions, as she jus­ti­fies her lie by claim­ing it was nec­es­sary to make Jen­na’s plea gen­uine. Vir­gil’s skep­ti­cism con­trasts with Jen­na’s vul­ner­a­bil­i­ty, high­light­ing the ten­sion between faith and doubt. The dis­cov­ery of a buried tooth under the mush­rooms adds a mys­te­ri­ous twist, hint­ing at unre­solved secrets tied to the sanc­tu­ary and Alice’s past. This arti­fact sug­gests there may be more tan­gi­ble con­nec­tions to uncov­er beyond the spir­i­tu­al realm.

    In the end, the chap­ter leaves Jen­na emo­tion­al­ly drained, grap­pling with the pos­si­bil­i­ty that her moth­er is tru­ly gone. The medi­um’s actions, though ques­tion­able, stem from a desire to pro­vide solace. The ele­phant sanc­tu­ary’s role as a sym­bol­ic bridge between life and death under­scores the chap­ter’s explo­ration of loss and mem­o­ry. The tooth’s dis­cov­ery hints at deep­er mys­ter­ies, set­ting the stage for fur­ther rev­e­la­tions about Alice’s dis­ap­pear­ance and the sanc­tu­ary’s his­to­ry.

    Down­load PDF Sum­ma­ry

    FAQs

    • 1. What are the two methods of spirit communication described by the narrator, and how do they differ?

      Answer:
      The chapter describes two methods: direct channeling through spirit guides (Desmond and Lucinda) and open channeling. Direct channeling is portrayed as more efficient, likened to a telephone operator connecting a direct line to a specific spirit. Open channeling, in contrast, is compared to an open house or news conference where multiple spirits attempt to communicate simultaneously, creating a chaotic environment that’s challenging for the medium. The narrator notes that while direct channeling is more controlled, open channeling can be overwhelming but sometimes necessary when no specific spirit responds to targeted attempts.

      2. Analyze the significance of the purple mushrooms in the chapter. What do they represent both literally and symbolically?

      Answer:
      Literally, the purple mushrooms grow in a specific spot where Maura’s calf was buried, likely due to increased nitrates in the soil from decomposition (as Virgil suggests). Symbolically, they represent memory and connection—both Jenna’s mother’s journals associate them with the buried calf, and the narrator speculates they might be “nature’s way of remembering.” The mushrooms serve as a physical manifestation of the past’s lingering presence and become the setting for Jenna’s emotional attempt to connect with her deceased mother, blending natural phenomena with spiritual longing.

      3. How does the narrator manipulate Jenna’s emotions during the attempted communication with her mother, and what does this reveal about the narrator’s understanding of grief?

      Answer:
      The narrator fabricates seeing Alice’s spirit, claiming she’s fading away to push Jenna into an authentic, desperate cry of “Mom!” This manipulation reveals the narrator’s insight that raw emotional expression—not technical spiritual practices—is what truly connects the living and dead. By understanding that a mother would respond to her child’s genuine distress (just as Jenna’s imagined scenarios involved her mother longing for her), the narrator demonstrates deep knowledge of grief’s dynamics: the bereaved need cathartic expression more than they need “proof” of the afterlife.

      4. Evaluate Virgil’s role in this chapter. How does his skepticism contrast with the themes of belief and spirituality?

      Answer:
      Virgil serves as a scientific counterpoint to the narrator’s spiritualism, dismissing the mushrooms’ significance as “extra nitrates” and calling the séance “crap.” His skepticism creates tension, emphasizing the chapter’s central conflict between empirical evidence and faith. While Jenna and the narrator seek intangible connections, Virgil grounds the scene in physical reality—until even he leans in during the climax, suggesting that doubt and belief aren’t mutually exclusive. His presence underscores that spirituality often exists alongside, not instead of, rational explanations.

      5. The discovered tooth at the end introduces a new mystery. What narrative purpose does this detail serve, and how might it connect to broader themes?

      Answer:
      The tooth disrupts the chapter’s emotional resolution with a tangible clue, shifting focus from spiritual closure to physical evidence. It implies Alice’s fate may be more concrete (and potentially darker) than a simple spiritual departure, hinting at unresolved trauma or violence. This pivot mirrors the book’s exploration of how grief intertwines with mystery—Jenna’s need to “find” her mother physically and spiritually. The tooth also contrasts Virgil’s skepticism: while he dismisses the supernatural, nature itself provides concrete answers buried beneath symbolic purple mushrooms.

    Quotes

    • 1. “It’s a little like a news conference, with everyone shouting out questions at once. It’s hell for the medium, incidentally. But I suppose it’s no worse than putting out feelers and having no one show up.”

      This quote vividly describes the chaotic experience of “open channeling” in spiritual communication, contrasting the overwhelming noise with the equally troubling silence of no response. It captures the narrator’s professional struggles and sets up the chapter’s exploration of connection and desperation.

      2. “I will never ask for my Gift again, if you let me do this one thing for her.”

      This desperate prayer reveals the narrator’s deep commitment to helping Jenna, even at the cost of her own spiritual abilities. It marks a pivotal moment of sacrifice and underscores the chapter’s theme of using one’s talents for others’ healing.

      3. “I used to make up stories about why you hadn’t been able to come back to me… It was so real that sometimes it hurt, like a stitch in your side when you run too hard, or the ache in your legs when you have growing pains.”

      Jenna’s heartbreaking monologue perfectly captures the painful longing of a child for a lost parent. The vivid metaphors make her emotional pain physically tangible, representing the chapter’s exploration of grief, memory, and imagination.

      4. “What would make a mother pay attention? Her child’s cry.”

      This profound realization distills the chapter’s emotional climax into a universal truth about parental bonds. The narrator’s insight leads to the dramatic moment when Jenna calls out for her mother, representing the raw power of primal connection.

      5. “I reach for the sharp object that has poked into my calf, making me wince. It’s buried under the heads of the mushrooms, invisible, until I dig through their roots and find a tooth.”

      This discovery serves as both a literal and metaphorical uncovering of hidden truths. The found tooth symbolizes how grief and the past remain buried but still present, creating a powerful cliffhanger ending for the chapter.

    Quotes

    1. “It’s a little like a news conference, with everyone shouting out questions at once. It’s hell for the medium, incidentally. But I suppose it’s no worse than putting out feelers and having no one show up.”

    This quote vividly describes the chaotic experience of “open channeling” in spiritual communication, contrasting the overwhelming noise with the equally troubling silence of no response. It captures the narrator’s professional struggles and sets up the chapter’s exploration of connection and desperation.

    2. “I will never ask for my Gift again, if you let me do this one thing for her.”

    This desperate prayer reveals the narrator’s deep commitment to helping Jenna, even at the cost of her own spiritual abilities. It marks a pivotal moment of sacrifice and underscores the chapter’s theme of using one’s talents for others’ healing.

    3. “I used to make up stories about why you hadn’t been able to come back to me… It was so real that sometimes it hurt, like a stitch in your side when you run too hard, or the ache in your legs when you have growing pains.”

    Jenna’s heartbreaking monologue perfectly captures the painful longing of a child for a lost parent. The vivid metaphors make her emotional pain physically tangible, representing the chapter’s exploration of grief, memory, and imagination.

    4. “What would make a mother pay attention? Her child’s cry.”

    This profound realization distills the chapter’s emotional climax into a universal truth about parental bonds. The narrator’s insight leads to the dramatic moment when Jenna calls out for her mother, representing the raw power of primal connection.

    5. “I reach for the sharp object that has poked into my calf, making me wince. It’s buried under the heads of the mushrooms, invisible, until I dig through their roots and find a tooth.”

    This discovery serves as both a literal and metaphorical uncovering of hidden truths. The found tooth symbolizes how grief and the past remain buried but still present, creating a powerful cliffhanger ending for the chapter.

    FAQs

    1. What are the two methods of spirit communication described by the narrator, and how do they differ?

    Answer:
    The chapter describes two methods: direct channeling through spirit guides (Desmond and Lucinda) and open channeling. Direct channeling is portrayed as more efficient, likened to a telephone operator connecting a direct line to a specific spirit. Open channeling, in contrast, is compared to an open house or news conference where multiple spirits attempt to communicate simultaneously, creating a chaotic environment that’s challenging for the medium. The narrator notes that while direct channeling is more controlled, open channeling can be overwhelming but sometimes necessary when no specific spirit responds to targeted attempts.

    2. Analyze the significance of the purple mushrooms in the chapter. What do they represent both literally and symbolically?

    Answer:
    Literally, the purple mushrooms grow in a specific spot where Maura’s calf was buried, likely due to increased nitrates in the soil from decomposition (as Virgil suggests). Symbolically, they represent memory and connection—both Jenna’s mother’s journals associate them with the buried calf, and the narrator speculates they might be “nature’s way of remembering.” The mushrooms serve as a physical manifestation of the past’s lingering presence and become the setting for Jenna’s emotional attempt to connect with her deceased mother, blending natural phenomena with spiritual longing.

    3. How does the narrator manipulate Jenna’s emotions during the attempted communication with her mother, and what does this reveal about the narrator’s understanding of grief?

    Answer:
    The narrator fabricates seeing Alice’s spirit, claiming she’s fading away to push Jenna into an authentic, desperate cry of “Mom!” This manipulation reveals the narrator’s insight that raw emotional expression—not technical spiritual practices—is what truly connects the living and dead. By understanding that a mother would respond to her child’s genuine distress (just as Jenna’s imagined scenarios involved her mother longing for her), the narrator demonstrates deep knowledge of grief’s dynamics: the bereaved need cathartic expression more than they need “proof” of the afterlife.

    4. Evaluate Virgil’s role in this chapter. How does his skepticism contrast with the themes of belief and spirituality?

    Answer:
    Virgil serves as a scientific counterpoint to the narrator’s spiritualism, dismissing the mushrooms’ significance as “extra nitrates” and calling the séance “crap.” His skepticism creates tension, emphasizing the chapter’s central conflict between empirical evidence and faith. While Jenna and the narrator seek intangible connections, Virgil grounds the scene in physical reality—until even he leans in during the climax, suggesting that doubt and belief aren’t mutually exclusive. His presence underscores that spirituality often exists alongside, not instead of, rational explanations.

    5. The discovered tooth at the end introduces a new mystery. What narrative purpose does this detail serve, and how might it connect to broader themes?

    Answer:
    The tooth disrupts the chapter’s emotional resolution with a tangible clue, shifting focus from spiritual closure to physical evidence. It implies Alice’s fate may be more concrete (and potentially darker) than a simple spiritual departure, hinting at unresolved trauma or violence. This pivot mirrors the book’s exploration of how grief intertwines with mystery—Jenna’s need to “find” her mother physically and spiritually. The tooth also contrasts Virgil’s skepticism: while he dismisses the supernatural, nature itself provides concrete answers buried beneath symbolic purple mushrooms.

    Note