Chapter 51: Covey and Elly - Summary & Analysis
⚠️ 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
In Chapter 51, set during the late 1960s in England, Covey meets Eleanor Douglas (Elly) at the teaching hospital where both are training as nurses. Elly immediately befriends Covey with a playful introduction, and soon Covey moves into the same lodgings. One night, the two sit on the floor between their cots, examining a geological map of England. Elly points out how the land was shaped by glaciers and violent processes, drawing a parallel to their Caribbean island. This conversation prompts Covey to reveal a hidden part of her past: she used to swim in the sea for miles off the north coast of her island, contradicting the false story she told others. She mentions a forced marriage and the murder of Little Man, but stops short of telling Elly about Gibbs. Elly then shows Covey three pink‑and‑white shells she collected, explaining her true ambition to study geology after nursing school. They talk about the prejudice they face in Britain as women from the islands, feeling both at home and foreign. Later, Elly’s advisor refuses to recommend her for a university geology program, urging her to stay in nursing. Undeterred, Elly decides to leave the country—possibly for Canada—and convinces Covey to join her by moving to Edinburgh, where a contact can get them clerical jobs. Covey, exhausted from her past and relying on Elly’s determination, agrees. They pack and take a train through the green countryside, Covey telling herself that distance from her old life is the only way to survive.
Key Events
- Covey meets Elly at the teaching hospital; they become friends and roommates.
- During a late‑night conversation over a map, Covey confesses her true island origin and her past as a swimmer.
- Elly reveals her dream of studying geology and shows three shells collected from a prehistoric inland site.
- Both women discuss the racism and limited opportunities they experience in Britain.
- Elly is denied a recommendation for university geology; she decides to leave the city or country.
- Elly proposes they move to Edinburgh; Covey agrees, and they depart together.
Character Development
Covey begins to trust Elly enough to share pieces of her hidden history—her real home, her swimming, the forced marriage, and Little Man’s death. She still withholds Gibbs, showing she remains guarded. Covey is weary and initially reluctant to change again, but Elly’s energy pulls her forward, marking a turning point where Covey lets friendship and a new dream guide her.
Elly emerges as a determined, ambitious woman who refuses to accept the limited roles assigned to her. She is playful but serious, keenly aware of prejudice, and willing to uproot her life to pursue geology. Her decision to include Covey in her escape demonstrates loyalty and a recognition of Coventina’s deeper unhappiness.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Friendship as a lifeline: Elly’s warmth and companionship revive Covey after years of isolation. Their bond provides emotional safety and practical escape.
- Geography and geology as metaphor: The map of England with its young rocks and glacial soil mirrors the women’s own formation—shaped by violent historical forces. Elly’s shells, left by a prehistoric ocean, symbolize buried potential and the desire to uncover one’s true origins.
- Hybrid identity in the “mother country”: Both women experience themselves as dual entities, welcome yet foreign. Britain fails to live up to the promise of a safe harbor, reflecting the post‑war tensions of immigration and belonging.
- Ambition versus imposed roles: Nursing, though a respectable opportunity for island women, becomes a cage for Elly and, she suspects, for Covey. The struggle is not just about careers but about the right to define one’s own destiny.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 51 is the origin story of the friendship that will shape the rest of Covey’s life. It introduces Elly as a key figure in Coventina’s transformation from a traumatised fugitive to a woman who dares to dream again. The chapter also grounds the novel’s broader themes of migration, prejudice, and the search for a place to belong. The decision to leave for Edinburgh marks the beginning of Covey’s second escape, setting the stage for her later life in the United States.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Covey choose to reveal a part of her true past to Elly?
Covey feels an unexpected connection when Elly discusses geology and the forces that shaped the land. The idea that “everything is connected” loosens Covey’s guard, and Elly’s genuine curiosity about the sea draws out the memory of swimming. Covey has been lonely since losing Bunny and the swim club, and Elly’s warmth makes her trust a little more.
2. What obstacle prevents Elly from pursuing her dream of studying geology?
Elly’s advisor, the same matron who praised her scientific mind, refuses to write a recommendation for a university geology course. The matron insists that the national health service offers enough opportunities and suggests advanced nursing instead. Elly sees this as a denial of her true ambition, rooted in the limited expectations placed on “island girls.”
3. How does the image of the geological map connect to Elly and Covey’s experiences as immigrants?
Elly explains that the land in that part of England was pushed into existence by violent processes and now appears stable. This mirrors their own situation: they were shaped by the violence of colonialism and family trauma, yet they are trying to rise into new lives. The map also reminds them that the island they came from was similarly formed, linking their past and present through the slow, powerful forces of geology.