Chapter 2: Note
Summary
Chapter 2 of By Any Other Name is not a narrative segment but a single-paragraph author’s note. Jodi Picoult directly addresses the reader, explaining that the Emilia chapters — those following the historical figure Emilia Bassano — are “peppered with references to actual Shakespearean plays and poetry.” She reveals that a complete list of these allusions appears in the back matter of the novel, and she invites readers to check how many they identified. No plot events occur; the chapter serves purely as a metatextual guidepost.
Key Events
- The author, Picoult, steps outside the story to deliver a short note clarifying the novel’s intertextual construction.
- She confirms that the historical sections contain borrowed Shakespearean language and imagery.
- Readers are pointed toward an appendix that catalogues those references for verification and self-assessment.
Character Development
No fictional characters appear or develop in this chapter. The only “presence” is the implied voice of Jodi Picoult, who builds a direct and candid relationship with the reader. This transparency sets her aside as a trustworthy narrator-guide, willing to demystify her own creative process.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Intertextuality and Hidden Sources
The note immediately establishes that the novel will weave existing Shakespearean material into its fabric. This foreshadows a story deeply concerned with borrowing, adaptation, and the question of who truly authors a work. - Authorial Transparency versus Secrecy
By revealing her allusive method upfront, Picoult enacts a paradox: she exposes the machinery of her fiction while simultaneously inviting the reader to join a game of detection. The note mirrors the central tension in the Emilia narrative — the possible concealment of a woman’s creative labor behind a man’s name. - Active Readership
The appendix becomes a symbol of reader participation. Picoult does not want a passive audience; she constructs a puzzle that rewards close reading and historical curiosity, aligning the act of reading with the historical detective work that surrounds Shakespearean authorship debates.
Why This Chapter Matters
Though it may seem like a throwaway paratext, Chapter 2 fundamentally shapes how the novel is experienced. By explicitly acknowledging her Shakespearean references, Picoult does several things at once. First, she honors the historical reality that Emilia Bassano lived and wrote in an era saturated with the works of Shakespeare (and possibly contributed to them). The note authenticates the historical backdrop, assuring readers that the embedded poetry and dramatic fragments are not mere pastiche but genuine artifacts. Second, the note creates a delayed-reveal effect: Chapter 1 likely immerses the reader in an Emilia scene without preamble, and only in Chapter 2 does the author pull back the curtain. This sequencing encourages a second look — even a reread — as the reader now hunts for Easter eggs with heightened awareness. Third, the chapter models an attitude of scholarly humility. Picoult admits she has “peppered” the text rather than trying to pass off the allusions as original, and she provides a tool (the appendix) for verification. In the context of a novel about a woman possibly erased from literary history, this gesture is ethically significant: it resists the very erasure the story critiques. Finally, the note builds anticipation for the historical timeline. It signals that the Emilia chapters will reward literary and historical knowledge, making the reading experience more layered and intellectually stimulating. This tiny chapter, then, acts as a key to the novel’s deeper architecture, inviting each reader to become a co-investigator in the mystery of Emilia Bassano.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Jodi Picoult include an author’s note so early in the novel instead of at the beginning or end?
Positioning the note as Chapter 2 instead of a preface allows readers to encounter one unmediated Emilia chapter first. That initial immersion makes the subsequent revelation more impactful — readers may feel compelled to flip back and search for phrases they missed, turning the novel into an interactive puzzle from very early on. -
How does the promise of a reference list in the back matter influence the reading experience?
It transforms the act of reading into a game or challenge. Knowing that a checklist awaits encourages scrutiny of every line in the Emilia sections, deepening engagement with the language and bridging the gap between casual fiction reading and scholarly detective work. It also fosters a sense of accomplishment when a reader identifies a reference independently before consulting the appendix. -
What thematic connection exists between this chapter’s admission of borrowed text and the novel’s exploration of authorship?
The note openly admits that the author has woven borrowed material into her work, mirroring the possibility that Shakespeare himself may have incorporated Emilia’s writing without credit. By foregrounding this act of literary sampling, Picoult comments on how creativity often involves remixing existing sources, and how the attribution — or concealment — of those sources can alter history.