Good Spirits Chapter 7 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

Twenty minutes after their last memory, Nolan and Harriet arrive in a snowy Christmas tree field. They are observers in a memory of a twenty‑one‑year‑old Harriet trying to cut down a tree alone. Nolan, irritated by his own concern for her comfort, gives her the mittens he secretly knitted. Harriet gets her candy cane stuck in a pocket; Nolan helps free her and she gives him a box of lemon drops. The tree falls on past Harriet, who emerges triumphant, covered in needles and beaming. Present Harriet explains she wanted to prove she could do things on her own. They return to the present living room. Nolan, frustrated that the memory revealed no hidden mistake, implies he cannot stay. Harriet asks if she can ever fix what she did wrong and be a good person again. Instead of answering, Nolan uses his magic to jump home.

Key Events

Nolan and Harriet land in a memory of Harriet cutting a Christmas tree in a snow field.
Nolan gives her oven‑mitt‑sized mittens he knitted (he claims he bought them on sale in 1976).
Harriet’s arm gets stuck in her coat pocket while reaching for a candy cane; Nolan pulls her free, and they share a close moment.
Harriet presents Nolan with a box of lemon drops, a gift she bought because he likes cinnamon.
The tree – cut incorrectly – falls on past Harriet; present Harriet explains she was alone and wanted to prove she could manage.
Back in the present, Nolan’s frustration grows because the memory seems harmless; he repeats that it is his job to find the hidden mistake.
Harriet, deflated, asks if she can fix whatever she has done and become a good person again.
Nolan, unable to answer, uses his magic to jump from her home to his own.

Character Development

Nolan: For the first time in decades, he cares about someone else’s comfort – giving mittens, checking on Harriet. He lies about the mittens’ age to hide his emotional investment. His internal conflict sharpens: he is drawn to Harriet yet insists he is only doing a job. The chapter shows him stepping “down a very dangerous path” by letting himself feel.
Harriet: She reveals loneliness and a fierce independence. Cutting the tree alone was an act of self‑worth – “I could want something and deserve to have it.” Her vulnerability deepens when she asks if she can be a good person again, showing she genuinely wants redemption.
Their relationship: Physical closeness escalates (touch, his arm around her waist), and gift‑giving becomes a new layer of intimacy. Both are aware they are crossing lines.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Isolation vs. Connection: Nolan’s quiet, contained existence contrasts with Harriet’s warm, messy home. The mittens (a hand‑knitted gift) symbolize his desire to connect despite decades of numbness.
Memory as a Teacher: The tree‑cutting memory teaches Nolan that Harriet’s past is not about hidden guilt but about strength and self‑reliance. He still looks for a mistake, but the evidence suggests her fault might be something else.
Sensory Deprivation: Nolan cannot taste the lemon drop fully – “like being frozen solid.” This metaphor for his emotional numbness deepens the theme of longing for genuine experience.
Self‑Worth: Harriet’s assertion that she “could want something and deserve it” echoes her journey toward believing she is worthy of love and forgiveness.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is the emotional turning point of the early story. Nolan’s care for Harriet becomes undeniable, yet he clings to his duty. Harriet’s question – “Can I be a good person again?” – reframes the plot from a mystery about past mistakes to a story about redemption. The gift of the lemon drops and the mittens creates a fragile bridge between the immortal guide and the mortal woman. The reader now understands that whatever Harriet did, she genuinely wants to repair it, and that Nolan’s job is becoming personal.

Study Questions and Answers

1. What does Nolan’s lie about the mittens (claiming he bought them in 1976) reveal about his character? It reveals that he is emotionally invested but unwilling to admit it. He knitted the mittens himself, yet he invents a story to keep a distance. The lie also shows that he is not used to being close to anyone – he treats his care as something to hide.

2. Why does Harriet insist on cutting down the tree alone, even when her aunt offered to come? She wanted to prove she could do hard things by herself and that she deserved to have what she wanted. The memory illustrates her determination and independence, but also a loneliness that Nolan begins to recognize.

3. How does the ending (Nolan jumping home) set up future conflict? Harriet is left feeling uncertain and defeated, while Nolan’s abrupt departure underscores his internal struggle between duty and growing affection. The unanswered question about whether she can “fix” her past mistakes will drive the next memory‑visit.