Chapter 10: Power Move – Summary and 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.
Complete Summary
Jolene arrives early to find the office smelling of burnt popcorn and Rhonda swapping her cubicle's teal decor for purple. Rhonda tracks Armin's movements in a private document: arrival times, phone calls, even minutes spent staring at his screensaver. Caitlin and Garret exchange DMs about Cliff, the new HR employee, who may be a corporate spy tasked with evaluating the team. Jolene reads a confidential email from Gregory to Cliff outlining a June 1 deadline for recommendations based on a new org chart, with potential terminations tied to mandatory training performance. She prints the org chart and discovers it plans to merge roles: either Armin or Rhonda will be let go, and either she or Caitlin will become "Document Lead" – a 15 percent pay raise – but next to Jolene's name is a note about dismissal for cause if she fails her course. Jolene also finds a flirtatious email from "Cutie Bear" to Gregory (subject: "Is Papa Bear Hungry?"). After Gregory publicly asks about Jolene's interpersonal training, Caitlin DMs Garret that she wants Jolene to fail. Jolene resolves to play the office game using her secret access. She volunteers for Morale Boosters to win Rhonda's trust and emails Cliff about carpooling to befriend him. She writes a four-point plan: outperform Caitlin, charm Rhonda, convince Armin she is normal, and get Cliff to like her.
Key Events
- Jolene uses her admin access to read Rhonda's tracking log of Armin's daily activities.
- She intercepts a DM conversation between Caitlin and Garret discussing Cliff's role and upcoming meetings.
- Jolene prints an org chart showing plans to eliminate or merge several positions, including her own.
- She reads an email from "Cutie Bear" to Gregory, revealing an inappropriate relationship.
- Gregory announces Jolene's training in front of the team, drawing Caitlin's attention.
- Caitlin and Garret exchange DMs planning to sabotage Jolene through Rhonda.
- Jolene volunteers for the Morale Boosters committee, surprising Rhonda and Caitlin.
- She emails Cliff to accept his carpool offer and adds winning him over to her list.
Character Development
Jolene transforms from a passive, anxious observer into an active player. Earlier in the novel she felt trapped and merely survived the workday; here she consciously adopts a strategic mindset. The line "I have the cheat codes" marks a turning point: she realizes that information is power and decides to use it to protect her job. Her willingness to befriend Cliff and join Morale Boosters shows a new social boldness. The chapter concludes with her feeling "a weird lightness" and even thinking the game "might even be fun."
Caitlin and Garret are further exposed as manipulative. Caitlin's immediate reaction to Gregory's interest in Jolene's training is to plot against her via Rhonda. Their casual exclusion of Cliff (mocking him for having no Friday plans) underscores their clique mentality.
Rhonda is shown as both petty (tracking Armin) and vulnerable (her credit card troubles). Jolene's decision to compliment her decor and offer help targets Rhonda's craving for validation, revealing Jolene's growing emotional intelligence.
Cliff remains an enigma, but his email to Gregory shows he intends to evaluate employees personally, which Jolene interprets as collusion with management.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Surveillance as power. Jolene's secret access to everyone's inboxes gives her an omniscient view. The irony is that she initially gained the ability by accident (Cliff's misdirected admin rights), but she leverages it deliberately. The office is full of surveillance: Rhonda tracks Armin; Gregory monitors training progress; Cliff will assess employees. Jolene's power comes from seeing through the system.
The chessboard / game metaphor. Jolene explicitly frames the office as a game and herself as a player with cheat codes. Words like "power move" (chapter title), "chessboard," and "rules" permeate the chapter. This motif contrasts with the earlier helplessness she felt.
Fakeness and performance. Rhonda's monthly decor changes, Caitlin's curated Instagram shots of her bullet journal, and the "fake bullshit" everyone spins for Cliff all underscore the theme that the office is a stage. Jolene's new plan requires her to perform niceness while secretly pursuing her own agenda.
The "Papa Bear" email is a grotesque symbol of Gregory's entitlement and the unofficial power structures that exist alongside the org chart. It also deepens Jolene's disgust and fuels her determination.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 10 is a structural turning point. Jolene stops being a victim of office gossip and actively enters the competition for the Document Lead position. Her decision to befriend Cliff – the very person she earlier despised – shows her pragmatism. The chapter also clarifies the stakes: Jolene's dismissal is not certain, but it is explicitly threatened, giving her clear motivation. The final line "I’m here to win" signals a protagonist who will no longer accept being pushed aside. This shift raises the dramatic tension and sets up confrontations in later chapters.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does Jolene’s mindset change during this chapter, and what event triggers that change?
Jolene shifts from passive resentment to active scheming after reading Caitlin and Garret’s DMs plotting against her. She realizes the office operates as a game where everyone hides their true intentions. Her recognition that she "now [has] the cheat codes" empowers her to plan strategic moves rather than just endure.
2. What does the org chart reveal about the company’s priorities, and how does Jolene interpret its implications for her own future?
The org chart shows plans to merge roles to save costs. Next to Rhonda’s name is a note about potential early retirement; next to Jolene’s is a warning about dismissal for cause if she fails her training course. Jolene understands that she and Caitlin are competing for a single advanced position, and that her survival depends on both her performance and her ability to outmaneuver Caitlin.
3. Why does Jolene decide to approach Rhonda about joining the Morale Boosters, and what does this decision reveal about Jolene’s new strategy?
Jolene offers to help because she knows Rhonda holds influence over Gregory and can be won over through praise and participation. This reveals that Jolene has moved from avoiding conflict to proactively building alliances. She now sees social connections as tools to secure her position, reflecting her adoption of the office's own manipulative tactics.