Wish You Were Here:
Chapter 6: Six
by Picoult, JodiThe chapter opens with the protagonist receiving a batch of old emails on Isabela Island, including updates about her mother’s stable health and news of her furlough from Sotheby’s due to the art industry’s downturn. A friend, Rodney, advises her to stay in paradise, reinforcing her isolation from her former life. On her birthday, Gabriel, a local, invites her and Abuela to his farm, where the relaxed atmosphere contrasts with the global pandemic. Despite the lockdown, islanders are beginning to venture out, hinting at a return to normalcy amid the crisis.
Gabriel’s farm reveals a self-sufficient lifestyle, with livestock and crops sustaining the community during supply shortages. The protagonist notices Gabriel’s efforts to expand his home, possibly for his daughter, Beatriz, whose emotional struggles weigh on the protagonist’s mind. Beatriz had previously confided her suicidal thoughts and unrequited feelings for another girl, Ana María, leaving the protagonist torn between protecting her and respecting her privacy. The tension between cultural norms and LGBTQ+ acceptance lingers, especially in the island’s Catholic context.
The protagonist and Gabriel bond over farm chores, harvesting papayas and yams, while Beatriz secretly prepares a birthday cake. The protagonist reflects on her growing connection to the island and its people, contrasting it with her uncertain future back home. Gabriel’s humor and warmth, along with Beatriz’s tentative trust, create a sense of belonging. The chapter underscores themes of resilience and community, as the characters adapt to the pandemic’s challenges.
The protagonist’s internal conflict—balancing Beatriz’s safety with her right to privacy—mirrors her broader adjustment to life on Isabela. Her interactions with Gabriel and Beatriz highlight the importance of human connection during isolation. The chapter closes with a quiet celebration, emphasizing the small joys and complexities of their intertwined lives. The narrative weaves together personal growth, cultural nuances, and the enduring impact of kindness in uncertain times.
FAQs
1. How does the protagonist’s professional situation change during her time on Isabela, and what does this reveal about the broader impacts of the pandemic?
Answer:
The protagonist receives an email from Sotheby’s informing her that she has been furloughed along with 200 other employees due to a massive downturn in the art sales industry. This reflects the widespread economic disruptions caused by the pandemic, particularly in non-essential sectors like art auctions. Her colleague Rodney mentions that only tech support was retained as the company pivots to online sales, highlighting how businesses were forced to adapt. The protagonist’s reaction—rationalizing that being furloughed is better than being fired—shows her attempt to cope with uncertainty, while Rodney’s advice to “stay in paradise” underscores the instability faced by urban workers relying on unemployment benefits.2. Analyze the significance of Beatriz’s confession in the tunnels and the protagonist’s ethical dilemma about whether to inform Gabriel.
Answer:
Beatriz’s reckless behavior in the tunnels, coupled with her earlier confession about suicidal thoughts, deeply worries the protagonist. She faces a moral conflict: while she promised to tell Gabriel if Beatriz expressed suicidal ideation, doing so would require revealing Beatriz’s unrequited feelings for Ana Maria—a secret not hers to share. This dilemma highlights the tension between protecting Beatriz’s safety and respecting her privacy. The protagonist’s cultural awareness (noting Ecuador’s Catholic norms and potential LGBTQ+ stigma) adds complexity. Her solution—monitoring Beatriz daily without breaking her trust—reflects a nuanced approach to mental health intervention, balancing vigilance with autonomy.3. How does Gabriel’s farm serve as both a practical and symbolic refuge during the pandemic?
Answer:
Gabriel’s farm represents self-sufficiency and resilience amid supply chain disruptions, as islanders rely on local agriculture to supplement limited shipments. The description of crops (papayas, yams, bananas) and livestock (goats, cows) contrasts with the protagonist’s urban job loss, emphasizing nature’s sustenance versus fragile global markets. Symbolically, the farm mirrors the island’s isolation—a haven from COVID-19, with no reported cases. The protagonist’s participation in harvesting (e.g., picking papayas) marks her gradual integration into this slower, grounded way of life, contrasting with her former high-pressure art world career. The farm thus embodies pandemic adaptation, community interdependence, and a return to simpler rhythms.4. What does the birthday celebration reveal about the evolving relationships between the protagonist, Gabriel, Beatriz, and Abuela?
Answer:
The celebration showcases deepening bonds: Gabriel teases the protagonist about her age, displaying comfortable rapport, while his secret collaboration with Beatriz on a birthday cake underscores their familial warmth. Beatriz’s joyful greeting (“Felicidades!”) and the protagonist’s gift of postcards reflect their growing trust after the tunnel incident. Abuela’s presence—cooking and praying at Gabriel’s makeshift home—highlights intergenerational connections. The shared labor (fruit-picking) and humor (jokes about the goat “Stew”) create a sense of chosen family. These interactions contrast with the protagonist’s isolation earlier in the chapter, illustrating how pandemic constraints have paradoxically fostered intimacy among the group.5. Evaluate the chapter’s portrayal of pandemic life on Isabela, focusing on how lockdown measures affect community behavior.
Answer:
Initially, strict lockdowns left the island deserted, but by the fifth week, residents begin defying curfews as COVID-19 remains absent. This shift reveals human nature’s resistance to prolonged isolation, especially when perceived threats fade. The narrative contrasts Isabela’s organic reconnection (neighbors trading goat milk for eggs, families gathering discreetly) with institutional mandates, suggesting grassroots adaptation. The protagonist’s observation of more “galapagueños out and about” underscores the tension between collective safety and social needs. The chapter critiques top-down pandemic responses by highlighting how communities self-regulate when official rules no longer align with lived reality—a theme resonant globally during COVID-19.
Quotes
1. “Girl, if I were you, I’d stay in paradise as long as I could.”
This line from Rodney’s email encapsulates the chapter’s central tension between the protagonist’s furloughed reality and the surreal escape of the Galápagos. It highlights the stark contrast between pandemic struggles back home and the island’s relative safety.
2. “At first, when the island closed down, I could walk the beach or hike into the highlands and not see another soul. But now, by the fifth week of lockdown, with no actual cases of Covid on Isabela and no one new arriving to spread it, people have begun to sneak out of their houses and break curfew.”
This observation captures the unique pandemic experience on Isabela - the gradual shift from strict isolation to cautious freedom, illustrating how island life differs from global pandemic norms.
3. “I couldn’t confess to Gabriel what had happened unless I explained why, and that would mean talking about Ana Maria not returning Beatriz’s affections. That, I know, is not my secret to share.”
This internal conflict reveals the protagonist’s moral dilemma about Beatriz’s suicidal thoughts and unrequited love, showcasing the complex ethics of confidentiality versus protection in their developing relationship.
4. “What I wanted to do was wrap my arms around her tight. What I did instead was bump her shoulder with mine. ‘De nada,’ I said, when I meant the very opposite. It wasn’t nothing. It was everything.”
This poignant moment demonstrates the deep but restrained connection between Diana and Beatriz, where small gestures carry immense emotional weight during the island’s isolation.
5. “I figure Beatriz will tell me what she wants to tell me and needs to tell me when she’s ready. And God knows, right now, I have nothing but time.”
This reflection perfectly captures the chapter’s themes of patience and the altered perception of time during lockdown, while showing Diana’s growing understanding of how to support Beatriz.