Chapter 17 Summary, Analysis, and Study Notes

⚠️ 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

The chapter opens with Jess and Mrs. Robinson discussing Nora’s past. Mrs. Robinson explains that Nora adored her brother’s children—the four Turner children who later died in the South Australia tragedy. Nora had been devastated when her brother moved his family away, but she visited often, always bringing two suitcases of gifts. She called the children “such little Turners,” a phrase Jess recognizes as Nora’s highest praise. Mrs. Robinson recalls a photograph of the children taken in Sydney during a holiday at Darling House; the youngest girl, Evelyn, looked remarkably like Nora.

The conversation turns to Nora’s losses. After the tragedy, Nora’s husband left her, and her brother—her favorite person—vanished from her life. Jess asks why Nora’s husband disappeared so completely from Polly’s life. Mrs. Robinson explains that Nora was stubborn and determined to make the marriage work, but her husband was jealous of the time Nora spent with baby Polly. He eventually left, remarried quickly, and had more children. Nora’s brother never even returned to meet Polly, which hurt Nora deeply. Mrs. Robinson reveals that Nora often referred to herself and Polly as an “unbreakable pair,” bonded through shared trauma. Jess recalls Nora’s adage that a child born of trauma bears scars forever, and she begins to understand that Nora was referring not to the divorce but to the tragedy in South Australia—the news of which sent Nora into early labor with Polly.

The scene shifts to Jess reading Daniel Miller’s book, As If They Were Asleep. The chapter opens with Nora Turner-Bridges in Tambilla, noticing that her sister-in-law Isabel is suffering from insomnia and forgetfulness. Nora recalls incidents: Isabel putting milk in the cupboard, nodding off with the baby on her lap, and leaving the baby under a walnut tree while she answered the phone, only to forget to return. Nora suspects Isabel is lonely and missing her husband, Thomas, who is away on business. She plans to have a long talk with Isabel after Christmas.

The narrative then moves to the morning of Christmas Eve, 1959. The police investigation later confirms that Matilda Turner telephoned Kurt Summers early that morning, asking to meet him. Becky Baker, a local girl, sees Kurt looking upset after the call. The phone call is traced by Marian Green at the telephone exchange. Kurt later tells police that Matilda wanted to talk about something in person, and he admits he loved her and wanted to marry her.

Meanwhile, Nora, staying in the guest bedroom, overhears Matilda’s tense phone conversation. She notices that Matilda is unusually fractious, eating little and snapping at everyone. The narrative also reveals that Matilda has been counting dates on her calendar, worried because she is late—seven weeks after her encounter with Kurt at the hollow tree.

The investigation also focuses on a small ivory netsuke—a white rabbit—found in Becky Baker’s possession. Becky claims Mrs. Turner gave it to her as a gift, but police are suspicious because the netsuke was part of a valuable collection kept in a cabinet in the Turner house. A young boy, Matthew McKenzie, saw Becky with the rabbit and reported it.

Marcus Summers, Kurt’s younger brother, is revealed to have seen Kurt and Matilda together at the hollow tree, which caused a rift between Marcus and his friend John Turner. Marcus felt betrayed by his brother and, by extension, by John, and he cut off their friendship.

Henrik Drumming, the farm manager, is questioned about a bottle of barbital pills found in Mrs. Turner’s bedside drawer. The pills were prescribed to his wife, Eliza, and Henrik admits that Mrs. Turner had mentioned trouble sleeping. He is visibly shaken by the implication.

As the day progresses, the Turner family prepares for a Christmas picnic at the water hole. Isabel insists everyone go, despite Matilda’s protests. Nora decides to stay behind, feeling exhausted and unsettled. The chapter ends with Nora alone in the house, unable to sleep, and noticing a large black cockatoo staring at her from the walnut tree—an ominous image.

Key Events

Mrs. Robinson reveals Nora’s deep love for her brother’s children and the devastating losses she suffered.
Nora’s husband left her, and her brother disappeared from her life after the tragedy.
Nora went into early labor with Polly upon hearing news of the South Australia tragedy.
Jess reads Daniel Miller’s book, which details Nora’s observations of Isabel’s insomnia and forgetfulness.
Matilda telephones Kurt Summers early on Christmas Eve, asking to meet him.
Becky Baker is found with a white rabbit netsuke, which she claims Mrs. Turner gave her.
Marcus Summers is revealed to have seen Kurt and Matilda together at the hollow tree, causing a rift with John.
Matilda is counting dates, worried she is late.
Henrik Drumming is questioned about barbital pills found in Mrs. Turner’s drawer.
The family prepares for a picnic at the water hole; Nora stays behind.

Character Development

Nora Turner-Bridges: This chapter deepens Nora’s backstory, showing her as a woman shaped by profound loss. Her adoration of her brother’s children, her grief at their deaths, and her subsequent clinging to Polly reveal a maternal devotion born of trauma. Her decision to stay behind from the picnic foreshadows her role as a witness to the tragedy.

Jess: Jess’s understanding of her grandmother shifts. She begins to see Nora’s protectiveness and guilt as rooted in real, painful history rather than melodrama. The chapter also highlights Jess’s investigative nature as she pieces together the past.

Isabel Turner: Isabel is portrayed as increasingly fragile—forgetful, distracted, and possibly depressed. Her mental state becomes a point of concern for Nora and a potential factor in the tragedy.

Matilda Turner: Matilda is rebellious and anxious, desperate to grow up but trapped by her circumstances. Her fear of pregnancy and her strained relationship with her mother add tension to the family dynamic.

Kurt Summers: Kurt is shown as a young man in love, but also secretive and conflicted. His interview with police reveals his grief and his determination to protect Matilda’s memory.

Marcus Summers: Marcus’s jealousy and sense of betrayal explain his earlier hostility toward John. His character illustrates how secrets and misunderstandings can fracture relationships.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Family bonds and loss: Nora’s grief for her brother’s children and her fear of losing Polly highlight the fragility of family ties.
Intergenerational trauma: Nora’s belief that Polly was scarred by the tragedy before birth suggests trauma passed down through generations.
Maternal devotion: Nora’s protectiveness of Polly and Isabel’s distracted care of baby Thea contrast sharply.
Secrecy and suspicion: The netsuke, the phone call, and the hidden romance all contribute to an atmosphere of mistrust.
Small-town surveillance: The community’s watchful eyes—Matthew McKenzie’s binoculars, Marian Green’s telephone exchange—underscore how little privacy exists in Tambilla.
Ominous nature imagery: The black cockatoo staring at Nora foreshadows danger and death.
Premonition and foreshadowing: Nora’s unease and her decision to stay behind hint at the impending tragedy.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is pivotal because it bridges the present-day investigation with the historical events of Christmas Eve 1959. It provides crucial backstory for Nora, explaining her obsessive love for Polly and her guilt. The chapter also introduces key pieces of evidence—the phone call, the netsuke, the barbital pills—that will likely become central to solving the mystery. By interweaving Nora’s perspective with police interviews and Matilda’s private fears, the chapter builds suspense and deepens the reader’s understanding of the family dynamics that led to the tragedy.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Nora feel personally responsible for what happened to Isabel and the children?

Nora blames herself for not speaking to Isabel sooner about her insomnia and forgetfulness. She had planned to have a long conversation after Christmas but postponed it, and she later wonders if an earlier intervention might have made a difference. Her guilt is compounded by the fact that she went into labor upon hearing the news, linking her own child’s birth to the tragedy.

2. What is the significance of the white rabbit netsuke?

The netsuke is a valuable object from Mrs. Turner’s collection, and its presence in Becky Baker’s possession raises questions about theft or a secret gift. It suggests that Becky may have had a closer relationship with Mrs. Turner than she admits, or that she took the item without permission. The object also serves as a symbol of the hidden tensions within the household.

3. How does the chapter use foreshadowing to build tension?

The chapter is filled with ominous details: Nora’s unease, the black cockatoo, Matilda’s fear of pregnancy, Isabel’s forgetfulness, and the family’s insistence on the picnic despite the heat. These elements create a sense of impending doom, especially as Nora decides to stay behind, leaving the family to face whatever awaits them at the water hole.

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