Chapter 83 (Chapter 81) – Grief, Distraction, and New Beginnings
⚠️ 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
Cherry narrates her experience of grief after losing Jack. She credits three women – her auntie Pat, her mother, and her grandmother – for preventing her from drowning in despair. They provided constant support through cups of tea, long walks she did not want to take, hot baths, and a comforting hand on her back while she wept for the lost future.
A key distraction during this time was the nightly ritual of watching the groundbreaking soap opera Number 96. Every weeknight at 8:30 pm, the four women gathered around the television. The show’s risqué content made them gasp and laugh, and even prompted Cherry’s grandmother to make the sign of the cross while remaining glued to the screen. Cherry admits that the fictional characters Bev, Don, and Aldo felt more real to her than the people she encountered during her lectures at Sydney University.
Despite her emotional fog, Cherry maintained her studies and her marks did not drop. However, she walked through life in a daze. She acknowledges that while one cannot avoid grief around the clock, distraction – as long as it is legal and harmless – is a valid coping mechanism.
During this period, Cherry and her friend Ivy had a serious falling out. Ivy accused Cherry of wallowing and told her she was wasting her life like auntie Pat had, over a man she barely knew. Cherry found this deeply offensive to both her aunt and herself, as she and Jack had planned to marry and have four children. A year later, Ivy sent a letter of apology, which Cherry accepted, believing that it is never too late for an apology – though she immediately corrects herself, noting that sometimes it is too late.
After graduation, everyone assumed Cherry would become a maths teacher, but she was determined to find something else. She went through the White Pages, wrote down addresses of organisations that might value a maths degree, and posted forty letters. Two weeks later, a man with a Scottish accent called her by name. That phone call led to her first job – not teaching maths, but counting grey kangaroos.
Key Events
- Cherry describes the combined effort of her auntie Pat, mother, and grandmother in helping her cope with grief.
- The family watches the TV show Number 96 every weeknight, providing a necessary distraction.
- Cherry continues her university studies but feels disconnected from real people, finding TV characters more real.
- Ivy confronts Cherry about her prolonged grief, leading to a painful argument.
- A year later, Ivy sends a letter of apology, which Cherry forgives.
- After graduating, Cherry refuses to accept the expected teaching career.
- She sends forty letters to potential employers.
- She receives a phone call from a Scottish man offering a job counting grey kangaroos.
Character Development
- Cherry: Shows resilience beneath her grief. She accepts help from her family, uses distraction without guilt, and later takes independent action to forge an unconventional career. Her willingness to forgive Ivy indicates growth and emotional depth.
- Ivy: Initially harsh and impatient, she later recognises her mistake and offers a sincere apology, demonstrating the capacity for remorse and reconciliation.
- Auntie Pat, Mother, Grandmother: Though not named individually, these three women are portrayed as unwavering pillars of support. Their combined care, from physical comfort to shared television time, illustrates the power of a loving network.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Grief and Distraction: Cherry explicitly states that one cannot avoid grief twenty-four hours a day and that legal, harmless distractions are valuable. The television show becomes a symbol of temporary escape that helped her survive the darkest period.
- Television as a Coping Mechanism: The ritual of watching Number 96 together creates a communal space for emotional release. The show’s racy, irreverent tone contrasts with the heaviness of loss, allowing the women to laugh and gasp together.
- Apology and Forgiveness: Cherry’s reflection on Ivy’s letter – “It’s never too late for an apology” followed by “Sometimes it is too late” – underscores the fragile nature of time and the importance of making amends before it is too late.
- Defiance of Expectations: Cherry refuses the teaching path everyone assumes she will take. Her proactive letter-writing campaign and the surprising kangaroo-counting job highlight her determination to carve her own way despite grief and societal pressure.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter provides crucial backstory for Cherry, explaining how she moved through profound loss and eventually landed a job that seems entirely unrelated to her maths degree. It deepens our understanding of her character – her resilience, her appreciation for small comforts, and her unwillingness to be pigeonholed. The conflict with Ivy and the subsequent apology also illustrate Cherry’s capacity for long-term forgiveness. The chapter’s tone balances raw emotion with wry humour, and the kangaroo-counting job introduces a whimsical note that fits the novel’s blend of tragedy and lightness.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does Cherry’s description of her support network challenge stereotypical ideas of grief recovery?
Cherry does not present a single dramatic breakthrough. Instead, she emphasises the everyday, incremental actions of the three women – making tea, taking walks, sitting with her while she cried. This suggests that grief is not “cured” by one event but endured through patient, consistent presence. The shared television ritual also shows that distraction, not just talk, can be a valid part of healing.
2. Why does Cherry include the correction “Sometimes it is too late” after stating that it is never too late for an apology?
The correction hints at a future regret or missed opportunity. It suggests that Cherry may later experience a situation where an apology does not arrive in time, possibly related to another relationship or event in the novel. This small narrative addition creates foreshadowing and adds a layer of melancholy to the otherwise hopeful tone of the chapter.
3. What does Cherry’s job hunt reveal about her character in the wake of grief?
Rather than sinking into passivity, Cherry takes concrete, independent action. She researches organisations, writes forty letters, and waits for a response. The outcome – a job counting kangaroos – is unexpected and highlights her willingness to embrace unconventional paths. It shows that grief does not define her entire future; she can still pursue curiosity and new experiences.