Chapter 71 (Chapter 69): Ethan’s Midnight Frustration and a Shared Video
⚠️ 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
Ethan wakes at 3 a.m., unable to fall back asleep. His irritation focuses on Carter, his housemate Jasmine’s boyfriend, who has stayed over for five consecutive nights and leaves a trail of mess throughout the apartment. Ethan avoids coming home to escape Carter’s presence and considers moving out. He goes to the kitchen to make tea and encounters Jasmine, who is wearing a scarf because Carter likes the bedroom very cold. They toast English muffins and share honey from a family friend’s hobby farm. Ethan shows Jasmine a video he saved of the car accident that occurred after their flight (the incident from earlier chapters). Jasmine watches, gasping, and places her hand on Ethan’s bare chest. At that moment, Carter enters, turns on the bright kitchen light, and sarcastically asks if he is interrupting.
Key Events
- Ethan wakes at 3 a.m. and lies in bed trying to fall back asleep.
- He mentally catalogues Carter’s intrusive habits: discarded items, loud voice, leftover food, and excessive stays.
- Ethan decides to make a Sleepytime tea and turns off the dripping tap.
- Jasmine joins him in the dim kitchen; they prepare English muffins with her special honey.
- Ethan retrieves his phone and shows Jasmine the saved video of the car accident linked to the woman from the plane.
- Jasmine reacts with a gasp and places her hand on Ethan’s bare chest.
- Carter enters, switches on the harsh overhead light, and delivers a sarcastic remark about interrupting.
Character Development
- Ethan reveals a growing sense of powerlessness and resentment. He feels like a “peasant” compared to Carter’s implied wealth and confidence. His avoidance of home, late nights at the gym, and uninvited visits to his parents show how unsettled he has become. The moment with Jasmine hints at lingering romantic feelings, and his decision to share the accident video indicates he still wants to connect with her about the traumatic flight.
- Jasmine appears comfortable and tender with Ethan in the kitchen, licking honey from her fingers and touching him without self–consciousness. Her choice to wear a scarf in a cold room suggests she accommodates Carter’s preferences, which may reveal a power imbalance in that relationship.
- Carter is portrayed as entitled and immature. His sarcastic comment and dramatic lighting act reinforce the tension Ethan feels. His intrusion ends a private moment between Ethan and Jasmine.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Invasion of personal space: Carter’s physical and auditory clutter violates Ethan’s home, symbolising a loss of control. The dripping tap and the bright light serve as auditory and visual intrusions.
- Class and privilege: Ethan contrasts Jasmine’s “cute” lack of a job with Carter’s “offensive” unemployment. The hobby-farm honey highlights the different social circles Jasmine and Carter inhabit, making Ethan feel like an outsider.
- Unresolved romantic tension: The hand-on-chest gesture and the interrupted sharing of the video suggest that Ethan and Jasmine share a bond Carter does not understand.
- The aftermath of the plane incident: The video reappears as a tangible link between the characters’ shared trauma, and Ethan’s decision to keep a recording shows he is still processing the event.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens Ethan’s emotional arc, showing how the plane incident continues to ripple through his daily life and relationships. It sets up a potential confrontation between Ethan and Carter, and it re‑establishes Jasmine’s role as someone who shares Ethan’s connection to the tragedy. The scene also foreshadows further friction in the household, which may become a catalyst for Ethan’s future choices.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Ethan feel so irritated by Carter, and how does this relate to his feelings about Jasmine?
Ethan perceives Carter as entitled, messy, and immature. Carter’s presence highlights Ethan’s own insecurity about his social standing and his inability to move on from Jasmine. The irritation is amplified because Ethan still harbours feelings for Jasmine and sees Carter as an undeserving rival.
2. What does the sharing of the car‑accident video signify in this scene?
The video represents an unresolved trauma that only Ethan and Jasmine witnessed together. Showing it to Jasmine is Ethan’s attempt to re‑establish a private connection with her and to process the event outside of Carter’s influence. The intimate moment of her hand on his chest confirms that the link between them remains strong.
3. How does Carter’s interruption shape the narrative tension?
Carter’s sarcastic comment and the harsh light break the warmth and intimacy Ethan and Jasmine were sharing. It reinforces the theme of invasion and signals that Carter (and by extension the new relationship) is an obstacle to Ethan’s hopes. The interruption also raises the stakes: Ethan’s position in the household is becoming untenable.