Wish You Were Here:
Chapter 1: One
by Picoult, JodiThe chapter opens with Diana reminiscing about her childhood, recalling a poignant moment when her father, a conservator restoring Grand Central Terminal’s zodiac ceiling, let her assist in gilding stars. She reflects on the hidden history uncovered during the restoration, including signatures and personal notes left by the original artists. Her father’s lesson about preserving a small section of the original ceiling as a reference point resonates with her, symbolizing the importance of remembering one’s origins. This memory surfaces as Diana navigates a strangely quiet New York City on March 13, 2020, amid early Covid-19 concerns, setting a reflective tone for the narrative.
Diana, an associate specialist at Sotheby’s, is en route to meet Kitomi Ito, the widow of legendary musician Sam Pride, at the iconic Ansonia building. The city feels eerily empty due to pandemic-related closures, and Diana muses on the contrast to its usual vibrancy. She recalls Kitomi’s tragic past—Sam’s murder on the Ansonia’s steps—and the couple’s fame, which still lingers decades later. Diana’s professional excitement about handling Kitomi’s art collection is tempered by the weight of the widow’s history, as well as her own personal anticipation of Finn’s impending proposal during their upcoming vacation.
As Diana arrives at Kitomi’s apartment, she notes the grandeur of the Ansonia and its storied residents, juxtaposed with Kitomi’s enduring grief. The chapter delves into Diana’s internal monologue, revealing her meticulous life plan—career success, marriage by thirty, and motherhood by thirty-five—a stark contrast to her mother’s unpredictable nature. Despite her achievements, Diana’s self-assuredness is tinged with vulnerability, especially as she anticipates Finn’s proposal. The encounter with Kitomi, a figure of both glamour and tragedy, forces Diana to confront the unpredictability of life, even as she clings to her carefully laid plans.
The chapter closes with Diana’s arrival at Kitomi’s doorstep, where the widow greets her warmly, blurring the lines between professionalism and personal connection. Diana’s reflection on Kitomi’s resilience—staying in the Ansonia despite its painful memories—hints at themes of loss and endurance. The narrative weaves together Diana’s past, present, and future, framing her journey against the backdrop of a city on the brink of change, both personally and globally. The chapter sets the stage for deeper exploration of memory, legacy, and the unforeseen twists that define a life.
FAQs
1. What significance does the Grand Central Terminal ceiling hold for Diana, and how does it reflect broader themes in the chapter?
Answer:
The Grand Central Terminal ceiling holds deep personal significance for Diana, as it connects her to cherished memories of her father and their shared moment of restoring the zodiac mural. The act of preserving the celestial artwork—including its intentional errors—mirrors the theme of honoring history and imperfection. This parallels Diana’s reflection on her life’s trajectory (“The only way you can tell how far you’ve come is to know where you started”) and her later musings about her planned future. The ceiling becomes a metaphor for legacy, continuity, and the tension between preservation and change, themes echoed in Kitomi Ito’s story and Diana’s own career at Sotheby’s.2. How does the chapter use the setting of March 2020 to create tension, and what contrasts does it highlight?
Answer:
The March 2020 setting—amid early COVID-19 concerns—creates tension through subtle but ominous details: the empty subway, Broadway shutdowns, and Finn’s reassurance that clashes with the eerie quiet. This backdrop contrasts with Diana’s personal optimism (her impending engagement, career success) and the grandeur of the Ansonia’s history. The pandemic’s uncertainty juxtaposes with Diana’s carefully planned life, foreshadowing disruption. The chapter also contrasts collective anxiety (the “nineteen cases” downplayed by Finn) with intimate moments, like Diana’s childhood memory or Kitomi’s tragic past, emphasizing how global events intersect with personal narratives.3. Analyze the symbolic role of Kitomi Ito’s character and her connection to Diana.
Answer:
Kitomi Ito symbolizes the intersection of art, tragedy, and resilience. As the widow of murdered musician Sam Pride, she embodies a legacy Diana professionally curates (through the painting auction) and personally contemplates. Kitomi’s longevity in the Ansonia—despite its traumatic associations—mirrors Diana’s father’s preservation work: both choose to uphold history despite its flaws. Their interaction also highlights generational contrasts: Kitomi’s bohemian past (the “swingers’ club”) clashes with Diana’s structured ambitions, yet both women navigate public and private identities. Kitomi’s white hair, a marker of sudden grief, foreshadows themes of unexpected life turns, echoing Diana’s impending engagement amid a looming pandemic.4. How does the chapter employ foreshadowing, particularly through Diana’s reflections and environmental details?
Answer:
Foreshadowing appears in Diana’s ironic observation about Friday the 13th (“I should know better”), the empty subway (hinting at impending isolation), and Finn’s dismissive attitude toward COVID-19. Her childhood memory of “stealing the stars” with her father contrasts with her adult life’s controlled plans, suggesting an imminent unraveling. The Ansonia’s history of violence (Sam’s murder) and Kitomi’s move imply change. Even Diana’s manicure—a preparation for Finn’s proposal—is undercut by the pandemic context, hinting at disrupted expectations. These details create a sense of unease, suggesting Diana’s “perfectly on track” life may soon diverge.5. Compare Diana’s relationship with her father and her implied relationship with her mother. What do these dynamics reveal about her character?
Answer:
Diana’s father is portrayed as nurturing and formative—he involved her in his restoration work, creating lasting bonds through shared creativity. In contrast, her mother is absent (“as usual, was not home”) and implicitly criticized through Diana’s reaction to being called “your mother’s daughter.” This dynamic reveals Diana’s yearning for stability and her drive to achieve measurable success (her “checklist”), possibly to compensate for maternal neglect. Her father’s influence surfaces in her appreciation for history and preservation (both in her career and her reflection on Kitomi’s painting), while her mother’s absence may fuel her fear of unpredictability, making the pandemic’s arrival particularly threatening.
Quotes
1. “The only way you can tell how far you’ve come is to know where you started.”
This quote encapsulates a central theme of the chapter—the importance of understanding one’s origins to measure progress. It comes from the narrator’s father, a conservator, explaining why they left a small untouched section in Grand Central Terminal’s restored ceiling.
2. “I hate going backward.”
This simple yet powerful statement reflects the narrator’s personal philosophy and resistance to regression, both literally (on her subway route) and metaphorically in life. It introduces her character’s forward-driven mindset.
3. “You, he told me, are definitely your mother’s daughter. I did not take that as a compliment.”
This revealing exchange shows the narrator’s complex relationship with her mother and her determination to forge her own path. It highlights the tension between her carefully planned life and her parents’ influences.
4. “When I was young, and people asked what I wanted to do when I grew up, I had a whole plan… I am perfectly on track.”
This passage demonstrates the narrator’s Type-A personality and her pride in achieving her meticulously planned life goals by age 29. It sets up the contrast between her controlled existence and the unpredictable events about to unfold.
5. “If my husband had been murdered on the front steps of my apartment building, I might not have stayed for another thirty years, but that’s just me.”
This darkly humorous observation about Kitomi Ito introduces the theme of how people process trauma differently. It also foreshadows the significance of the Ansonia building in the story’s unfolding drama.