Chapter 17 Summary and Analysis: Confrontation and Catharsis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Now single and unemployed, Greta stands in an alley between two bars: the dingy Cousin’s and the queer-friendly Lil’ Deb’s Oasis. Despite leaning toward the latter, she enters Cousin’s and sits next to a man she eventually identifies as Keith. She accuses him of shooting her dog Piñon two weeks earlier, claiming he meant to shoot Big Swiss’s dog. Keith denies owning a gun, calls her a “dumb city bitch,” and tells her to leave. Back home, Greta finds Big Swiss in her bed. Big Swiss says she quit therapy and is leaving for Ecuador in a week. She then asks Greta to spank her—an offer Greta had made in a previous email. Greta agrees, and Big Swiss uses a wooden hairbrush on her. Afterward, they are intimate. Greta insists Big Swiss tell her husband Luke about their relationship immediately.
Key Events
- Greta chooses to enter the dive bar Cousin’s instead of the queer restaurant Lil’ Deb’s Oasis.
- She sits next to Keith, who buys her a drink and acts as a “translator” with the bartender.
- Greta confronts Keith, accusing him of shooting Piñon; he denies it and becomes hostile.
- Keith threatens Greta (“I’d shoot you before I’d shoot any dog”) and the bartender asks her to leave.
- Greta returns home to find Big Swiss waiting in her bed.
- Big Swiss announces she quit therapy and is leaving for Ecuador in a week.
- Big Swiss requests the spanking Greta once offered; Greta complies, receiving fifteen blows on each cheek.
- The two are intimate, and afterward Greta demands that Big Swiss tell Luke the truth tonight.
Character Development
Greta – She acts on impulse, confronting a potential stalker and former patient’s ex alone. Her recklessness contrasts with her earlier passive role as a transcriber. She also shows a willingness to submit to Big Swiss’s request, seeking a form of “deliverance” through degradation.
Big Swiss (Sabine) – She initiates a physically punishing act with Greta, calling it “cathartic.” She reveals she quit therapy and plans to flee to Ecuador, suggesting a desire to escape her problems rather than face them.
Keith – Greta’s antagonist. He is defensive, aggressive, and quick to anger. He denies owning a gun or a dog, and his threat to shoot Greta before a dog underscores his volatility.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Risk and Recklessness – Greta enters a dangerous situation by confronting Keith alone in a dive bar. She admits to herself that her actions are “stupid, reckless, and insane.”
Catharsis and Punishment – Both women seek release through the spanking. Big Swiss wants to leave therapy behind; Greta hopes the pain will lead to “deliverance” from guilt over her lies.
Identity and Belonging – Greta hesitates between the queer-friendly Oasis and the gritty Cousin’s, reflecting her uncertainty about her own identity and where she fits.
Power Dynamics – The spanking scene reverses Greta’s usual role as listener/transcriber. She becomes physically vulnerable, while Big Swiss wields authority.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 17 marks a turning point where Greta directly confronts Keith, the man she believes hurt her dog, and recognizes her own recklessness. It also deepens her physical and emotional entanglement with Big Swiss, even as Big Swiss plans to leave town. The spanking scene formalizes the shift from voyeuristic fascination to embodied intimacy. Moreover, Greta’s demand that Big Swiss tell Luke the truth sets up imminent conflict and forces secrets into the open.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Greta choose to enter Cousin’s bar rather than Lil’ Deb’s Oasis?
Greta decides to enter the “ashtray” (Cousin’s) instead of the welcoming queer space because she feels uncertain about her own identity. She imagines she might “drown in gender fluids” or that her already-unstable gender might dissolve. She lacks the confidence to claim an identity fully, so she opts for the familiar, unattractive environment.
2. What does the spanking scene reveal about Greta’s state of mind?
Greta sees the spanking as a possible punishment for her misdeeds—especially her invasion of Big Swiss’s privacy and her treatment of Luke. She reflects that she has “never been truly disgraced” and hopes the pain might bring deliverance. This shows her guilt and desire for atonement, even through humiliation.
3. Why does Greta insist that Big Swiss tell Luke about their relationship “immediately, tonight”?
Greta is done with secrecy and sneaking around. She recognizes that continuing to deceive Luke is unfair and likely to cause more harm. By demanding honesty, she tries to break the pattern of lies that has defined their connection—though doing so also risks destroying Big Swiss’s marriage.