Chapter 16 Summary: Yes and No
⚠️ 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
Hadley spends three days reading Marian's memoir, Carol Feiffer's novel, the Day brothers' screenplay, and then Marian's book again. She reads in bed and in the bath, finding the immersion pleasant and amniotic. She describes her indecision about the role as a comfortable limbo, comparing herself to Schrödinger's cat—both Marian and not Marian.
On the second afternoon, Hugo visits under the pretense of discussing the books and script, but Hadley knows he is there to persuade her. He praises the character as an actor's dream, noting the foundation of fact and abundance of freedom. Hadley recognizes that Hugo knows she is desperate to be told what to do, and she is flattered by his attention.
On the third day, Siobhan calls, having heard about the project. She expresses hesitation about the timing, worried that Hadley might be stunt-cast or turned into a spectacle. Siobhan suggests the project's vision feels scattered and asks Hadley what she really wants from it. Hadley imagines herself flying over the ocean and raising an Oscar, but she also worries about what would be left to want after that. She recalls a therapy session where the shrink said the self could feel dangerous, and she identified with a glowing tiger. The shrink replied, “Yes. And no.”
In the end, Hadley says yes to Marian because yes is easier than no. She calls Hugo herself, and he is thrilled, promising to schedule an audition. Hadley is surprised she has to audition, having assumed the role was hers.
She then immerses herself in the character. She walks around her house as she imagines Marian would, avoids mirrors, slouches, and speaks deliberately. She researches Marian online, looks at photos, and watches a film clip of Marian and navigator Eddie Bloom climbing out of a plane after a test flight in New Zealand. She scrutinizes their interaction for signs of the unrequited love described in Carol's novel, but finds only inscrutable silent communication.
Hugo suggests she take a flying lesson, given her family history. Hadley initially refuses, then agrees, then refuses again, then says maybe. Hugo arranges the lesson anyway, with an NDA for the instructor. Hadley tries to think about flying the way Marian would, but when she imagines flying a plane herself, she can only think of falling.
On the morning of the lesson, she is driven to a small airport. The pilot is a calm, reassuring man with salt-and-pepper hair. He walks her around the Cessna, explains the parts, and tells her they will take off, get above the marine layer, and then she can try the controls. Hadley is nervous but agrees.
They take off into gray cloud. When they break into sunlight, the pilot points out Catalina Island. He demonstrates turns and explains the controls. Eventually he invites her to put her hands on the yoke and try to fly straight and level. She does, but when he suggests she gently pull back to climb, she pulls tentatively, then harder. The plane noses up, and she feels the earth falling away behind her, sucking her down. She snatches her hands away and says she doesn't want to do it. The pilot calmly takes over, telling her she did fine and that the plane went up because she asked it to. She says she doesn't like the feeling. He replies that it's the best feeling in the world.
Key Events
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Hadley reads Marian's book, Carol's book, the screenplay, and Marian's book again over three days.
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Hugo visits to persuade Hadley to take the role, praising the character's freedom.
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Siobhan calls, warning against rushing and questioning the project's scattered vision.
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Hadley recalls a therapy session about the dangerous self and the glowing tiger.
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Hadley decides to say yes because yes is easier than no, and calls Hugo.
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She learns she must audition, which surprises her.
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She immerses herself in Marian's character, researching her life and watching the film clip with Eddie Bloom.
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Hugo suggests a flying lesson; Hadley reluctantly agrees.
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She takes the lesson, but when given the controls, she pulls back on the yoke, feels the earth falling away, and stops, saying she doesn't like the feeling.
Character Development
Hadley's decision to accept the role reveals her deep need for direction and validation. She admits she is desperate to be told what to do, and Hugo's flattery works on her. Her internal conflict between wanting to be Marian and fearing the unknown future is central. The therapy memory of the tiger and the shrink's “Yes and no” encapsulates her ambivalence: she is both drawn to and afraid of her own potential.
Her immersion in Marian's character shows her commitment and her tendency to lose herself in roles. She tries to adopt Marian's confidence and self-containment, but the flying lesson exposes her vulnerability. Her fear of falling is not about flying itself—she is comfortable on commercial flights—but about the sensation of losing control and the earth dropping away. This fear connects to her parents' death in a plane crash, though she does not consciously link them. The lesson ends with her rejecting the feeling, suggesting that she cannot fully inhabit Marian's fearlessness.
Hugo is portrayed as manipulative yet perceptive, knowing exactly how to persuade Hadley. Siobhan acts as a counterweight, urging caution and self-reflection. The pilot is a minor but significant figure, offering calm reassurance and normalizing Hadley's fear.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
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Yes and No: The chapter's title reflects Hadley's indecision and the binary choices she faces. The therapy exchange about the tiger—both yes and no—mirrors her internal conflict. She ultimately chooses yes because it is easier, but the flying lesson shows that her yes is not wholehearted.
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Limbo: Hadley describes her indecision as a comfortable limbo, a state of being both Marian and not Marian. This limbo is a form of avoidance, but also a space of possibility.
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Spectacle: Siobhan warns against being a spectacle, while Hugo argues that the point is to be a spectacle. This tension reflects Hadley's public life and her desire for redemption.
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Self as dangerous: The glowing tiger represents the self as something frightening. Hadley's fear of flying is also a fear of her own agency and the consequences of taking control.
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Freedom vs. constraint: The plane is described as a constrained thing eager to be free, like a racehorse or boxer. Hadley's pull on the yoke is an attempt to take control, but she recoils from the sensation of freedom.
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Immersion in character: Hadley's method of becoming Marian—walking, speaking, researching—shows her need to inhabit a role fully, but also her difficulty in separating herself from it.
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Fear of falling: The physical sensation of the earth falling away triggers Hadley's panic. This fear is both literal and metaphorical, representing her fear of failure and the unknown.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is pivotal for Hadley's arc. It marks her decision to take on the role of Marian, setting the stage for the rest of the novel's present-day narrative. It also deepens her characterization, revealing her motivations, insecurities, and the psychological weight of her past. The flying lesson is a crucial moment of self-discovery: she confronts her fear and discovers that she cannot easily overcome it, even when trying to embody Marian. This failure foreshadows the challenges she will face in playing the role and suggests that her identification with Marian is more complicated than she initially believes. The chapter also introduces the theme of performance versus authenticity, as Hadley struggles to reconcile her public persona with her private self.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Hadley ultimately say yes to the role of Marian, despite her doubts?
Hadley says yes because she finds it easier than saying no. She is flattered by Hugo's attention and desperate for direction. She also imagines the potential glory of winning an Oscar, but she is not fully confident in the project. Her decision is impulsive and driven by a desire to avoid the discomfort of indecision, rather than a clear conviction.
2. What does the flying lesson reveal about Hadley's character?
The lesson reveals that Hadley's fear is not of flying itself but of the sensation of losing control and the earth falling away. She is comfortable as a passenger on commercial flights, but when she takes the controls, she panics. This suggests a deeper fear of agency and the consequences of her own actions, possibly linked to her parents' death. It also shows that she cannot fully inhabit Marian's fearlessness, indicating a limit to her ability to lose herself in a role.
3. How does the therapy memory of the tiger relate to Hadley's decision and her experience in the plane?
The tiger represents the self as something dangerous. The shrink's response, “Yes and no,” captures Hadley's ambivalence: she is both drawn to and afraid of her own potential. When she pulls back on the yoke, she feels the earth falling away and immediately stops, as if confronting the dangerous self she fears. Her decision to say yes to the role is an attempt to embrace that self, but the flying lesson shows she is not ready to fully let go.
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