Wish You Were Here:
Chapter 2: Two
by Picoult, JodiThe chapter opens with Diana, the protagonist, accidentally touching poisonous apples on Isabela Island, unaware of their danger. A local man chastises her for ignoring warning signs, revealing his disdain for tourists. Despite his rudeness, he advises her to soak her blistered hand in cold water. Their tense exchange escalates when he notices her borrowed shirt and accuses her of bringing the pandemic to the island. Diana defends herself, highlighting her boyfriend Finn’s role as a frontline healthcare worker in New York, but the man dismisses her as a selfish tourist. Their confrontation ends with Diana storming off, frustrated by his hostility.
Returning to her rented apartment at night, Diana reflects on her isolation and longing for Finn. She imagines how different the trip would be if he were with her, sharing laughs and snacks. The island’s beauty feels overshadowed by her discomfort and hunger, but a surprise quesadilla left by her kind landlady, Abuela, offers a moment of warmth. Diana writes a grateful postcard to Abuela, contrasting the man’s hostility with the landlady’s generosity. She then drafts a postcard to Finn, describing the island’s rugged charm and her hopes for a future visit together, though her loneliness is palpable.
The narrative shifts to Diana’s past, revealing her artistic talent and complicated relationship with her parents. Her father, a conservator, admired her creative gift, comparing it to her mother’s—a photojournalist often absent due to work. This comparison unsettled Diana, leading her to abandon studio art in college to avoid living in her mother’s shadow. The flashback underscores her desire to carve her own path, mirroring her current struggle to navigate an unfamiliar environment without Finn or a clear plan.
The chapter closes with Diana’s unresolved tension between adventure and vulnerability. Her encounter with the poisonous apples and the hostile local symbolizes the unpredictability of her journey, while Abuela’s kindness and the postcard to Finn hint at her need for connection. The contrast between her artistic past and present uncertainty highlights her internal conflict—whether to embrace the unknown or retreat to safety. The chapter captures Diana’s isolation, resilience, and the bittersweet reality of being stranded in a paradise that feels both enchanting and alien.
FAQs
1. What are the two main conflicts Diana experiences in this chapter, and how do they reflect her broader situation?
Answer:
Diana faces both an environmental conflict (touching the poisonous manchineel apples) and a social conflict (her hostile interaction with the local man). The poisonous apples symbolize the hidden dangers of her unfamiliar environment, mirroring how unprepared she is for this unplanned isolation. The confrontation with the local reflects the tension between tourists and residents during the pandemic, highlighting her vulnerability as an outsider. Both conflicts underscore her displacement—physically from her comfort zone and emotionally from Finn, emphasizing her isolation in this foreign setting.2. Analyze the significance of the postcards Diana writes. How do they reveal her coping mechanisms and emotional state?
Answer:
The postcards serve as Diana’s attempt to maintain connections despite her isolation. The thank-you note to Abuela shows gratitude and a desire for human kindness after the hostile encounter. Her message to Finn is more layered: she downplays her struggles (“I’m fine”), romanticizes the island to reassure him (and herself), and expresses longing (“I hate not hearing your voice”). The act of writing—especially choosing analog communication—reflects her need to assert control in a situation where she feels powerless, while also avoiding direct vulnerability (e.g., deleting the unsent text).3. How does the chapter use contrasting imagery to highlight Diana’s emotional journey? Provide specific examples.
Answer:
The chapter juxtaposes harsh and comforting imagery to mirror Diana’s turmoil. The “poison apples” and the man’s “dark hair and darker eyes” contrast with the “moonlight bouncing on the ocean like a skipping stone” and Abuela’s kindness (the hidden quesadilla). The “comprehensive dark” of the island versus the phone’s “bright as a star” signal her loneliness and futile hope for connection. These contrasts mirror her shift from panic and anger to tentative resilience, culminating in the symbolic act of wading into the ocean to soothe her burns—a physical manifestation of seeking relief from emotional pain.4. What does the local man’s attitude toward Diana reveal about the broader theme of tourism during crises?
Answer:
His hostility (“Maldita turista”) reflects resentment toward tourists prioritizing leisure over safety during a pandemic. His accusation (“So you decided to bring the virus here”) underscores the fear of outsiders as vectors of disease, a tension heightened in isolated communities dependent on tourism revenue. The chapter critiques the paradox of tourism economies: locals rely on visitors but resent their intrusion, especially during emergencies. This interaction serves as a microcosm of global pandemic-era tensions, where privilege (Diana’s ability to travel) clashes with local vulnerability.5. How does the flashback about Diana’s art career contribute to her characterization?
Answer:
The flashback reveals Diana’s avoidance of comparison to her accomplished mother, explaining her shift from art creation to art history. Her father’s praise (“You have your mother’s eye”) ironically stifles her passion, showing how familial expectations shape her choices. This backstory contextualizes her current crisis: just as she abandoned art to forge her own path, she now must navigate isolation without Finn, her usual anchor. It hints at a recurring theme of self-reinvention—one that may foreshadow her growth on the island, away from predefined roles (artist’s daughter, Finn’s girlfriend).
Quotes
1. “Poison apples, like a fairy tale. Except my prince is stuck in a hospital in New York City and the evil witch is a six-foot-tall galapagueño with anger management issues.”
This quote captures Diana’s wry, disillusioned perspective—juxtaposing fairy-tale tropes with her grim reality (a boyfriend battling COVID and a hostile local). It introduces the chapter’s tension between expectation and harsh truth.
2. “The whole point of traveling with someone from home is to remind you where you came from, to have a reason to leave when you begin to lose yourself in the lights of Paris or the majesty of a safari and think, What if I just stay?”
A pivotal reflection on isolation and identity. Diana articulates why solo travel feels destabilizing—without Finn, she’s untethered, amplifying her discomfort in this forced isolation.
3. “It’s possible that for every angry asshole on this island, there’s someone like Abuela.”
This contrast between the hostile man and the kind landlady encapsulates the chapter’s exploration of human duality and Diana’s wavering hope amid adversity.
4. “You have your mother’s eye, he said. The next semester, instead of signing up for more art studio classes, I filled my time with art history and media and business courses.”
A revealing flashback showing Diana’s avoidance of comparison/competition with her absent mother. This abandonment theme parallels her current isolation in Galápagos.