Chapter 14: Joan’s Phone Call Reveals a Buried Past
⚠️ 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
After showering, Joan finds another love note from Deck tucked into her typewriter. The note softens her anger, and she resolves to call Dr. Krause on Monday. Needing to meet her newspaper deadline, she writes her first article for the Lilydale paper – a light piece about the elementary school’s Beatles-themed spring musical. She types her byline with pride. Later, she calls her friend Ursula. Joan unloads all her anxieties about Lilydale: the men who hugged her at the concert, Dorothy peeping into her room, Deck telling people they are married and that she is pregnant, the town’s male-dominated power structure (Fathers and Mothers), being followed, and Miss Colivan knowing about the stolen brooch. Ursula listens silently, then focuses on Joan’s admission of petty theft. To calm herself, Joan recalls a happy Halloween memory from 1962 when she, Ursula, and their roommate Libby dressed as movie stars. But Ursula pushes back, asking “and then what?” – forcing Joan to remember what really happened to Libby after that party.
Key Events
- Joan discovers a handwritten love note from Deck, her fourth such note, and her resentment fades.
- She types her first article for the Lilydale Star: a cheerful report on the school’s Beatles musical, using the byline “By Joan Harken.”
- Joan calls Ursula and confesses her growing fear that everyone in Lilydale is watching her.
- Ursula reacts with concern, zeroing in on Joan’s admission of shoplifting a brooch.
- To deflect, Joan brings up Halloween 1962, a night she remembers fondly.
- Ursula presses Joan to recall what happened to Libby after the party, hinting at a darker outcome Joan has suppressed.
Character Development
Joan Harken
Joan’s emotional state swings widely in this chapter. She moves from anger at Deck to acceptance after reading his note, then to anxiety and paranoia during her call with Ursula. Her need to write the article shows her desire for normalcy and a professional identity. The unresolved memory of Libby’s pregnancy suggests she may be repressing traumatic events, a pattern that makes her an unreliable narrator.
Ursula
Ursula emerges as a grounding force. She listens to Joan’s fears but challenges them, refusing to indulge Joan’s dramatic storytelling. Her pointed question about Halloween 1962 indicates she knows more than she is sharing and wants Joan to face reality.
Deck (mentioned)
His persistent love notes reveal a controlling side wrapped in affection. By telling others Joan is pregnant without her consent, he exerts power over her narrative.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Storytelling and Self-Deception
Joan writes a cheerful article that glosses over the town’s oddities, just as she tries to rewrite her own history. Ursula calls this out: “You have to stop making up your stories.” The chapter contrasts the stories Joan tells herself (the happy Halloween) with what really happened (Libby’s crisis and its aftermath).
Surveillance and Control
Joan feels watched by everyone in Lilydale – men at the concert, Dorothy, Miss Colivan, slow-moving cars. Whether this is paranoia or justified is left ambiguous, but it reinforces the theme of small-town control over women’s lives.
Female Friendship and Memory
The phone call between Joan and Ursula is the first honest exchange Joan has had since arriving. Their shared memory of Libby bonds them but also hides a painful truth. The Halloween photograph becomes a symbol of a past that is both cherished and distorted.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point for Joan’s arc. Her call to Ursula is the first time she voices her suspicions about Lilydale, even if Ursula dismisses them. More importantly, the chapter introduces the suppressed memory of Libby’s pregnancy and its outcome. “What happened to Libby that night” becomes a mystery that likely connects to Joan’s present situation. The theme of unreliable memory sets up later revelations about Joan’s past and the true nature of Lilydale.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Ursula fixate on Joan’s admission of stealing the brooch?
Ursula is trying to anchor Joan to concrete facts rather than general paranoia. By focusing on the brooch, Ursula can test whether Joan is exaggerating or lying, as she accuses Joan of doing with her stories.
2. What is the significance of the Halloween 1962 memory?
The memory initially seems joyful – three young women dressed as famous figures, full of hope. But Ursula’s prompt reveals that something terrible happened to Libby after the party, likely related to the pregnancy they promised to “take care of.” This memory may hold the key to why Joan left Minneapolis and why she is willing to accept Lilydale’s constraints.
3. How does Joan’s article for the newspaper reflect her state of mind?
Writing the article gives Joan a sense of accomplishment and normalcy. But the article is deliberately cheerful and omits any critical edge (e.g., “Twist and Shout” not being a Beatles song). It mirrors her desire to believe Lilydale is a quaint, safe town – a story she is trying to sell herself even as her fears mount.