Chapter 17 (16): Skydiving and Phantom Limbs
⚠️ 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
Nora is pushed into a skydiving trip by the relentless Petra, who needs to fill a plane. After a tense negotiation, Petra offers to pay for Nora’s seat, and Nora reluctantly agrees. As the plane ascends, Nora reflects on her breakup with Derek, comparing the emotional distance to the physical distance of her flights from Canada to Berlin. She recalls how progress felt exponential until the moment she looked out the plane door and felt her heart crack open again. During the free fall, Nora’s thoughts shift briefly to Jacob—she hopes he’s okay and wonders why she’s leaving the next move to him—but there is little time to dwell. Landing safely, Nora laughs uncontrollably and receives a photograph of herself mid-fall, looking calm. Back at the apartment, she takes a picture of the photo, initially planning to send it to Jacob, but instead sends it to Derek.
Key Events
- Petra declares they are going skydiving and insists Nora join, eventually offering to pay.
- Nora agrees after a silent standoff with Petra.
- During the ascent, Nora reflects on her journey from Saskatoon to Berlin: the painful flight to Toronto, the healing layover in Paris, and the forward-looking flight to Berlin.
- The plane reaches 14,000 feet; Nora thinks about Derek and wishes he could see her bravery.
- In free fall, Nora thinks about Jacob briefly—hoping he’s okay, wishing he’d text—but the fall only lasts sixty seconds.
- Nora lands safely, laughs uncontrollably, and receives a souvenir photograph.
- Back at the apartment, Nora photographs the picture and sends it to Derek instead of Jacob as she had intended.
Character Development
- Nora: This chapter shows Nora grappling with the illusion of permanent progress. She believed she had moved on from Derek, but the skydiving experience reopens old wounds. Her decision to send the photo to Derek rather than Jacob reveals lingering attachment and perhaps a desire to prove herself.
- Petra: Her insistence on Nora joining the skydiving trip is both manipulative and pragmatic (needing to fill a plane). She displays a cold, silent stubbornness that eventually wears Nora down.
- Sonja: Barely speaks but is physically present; her reaction after landing—green and silent, holding a barf bag—underscores the intensity of the experience and contrasts with Nora's laughter.
- Jori: A minor character, Petra's friend, who taunts Nora about waivers and broken legs, representing those who dismiss anxiety as silliness.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Phantom Limb: Nora uses the metaphor of a phantom limb to describe her lingering attachment to Derek—an itch, a burn, a severed arm that still feels present. The metaphor recurs as she realizes that progress can be undone quickly.
- Gravity as a Force: Gravity is personified as jealous, waiting for Nora like an anxious date. It symbolizes the pull of past pain and the difficulty of escaping emotional weight.
- Altitudes of Progress: Nora reflects that rising to 14,000 feet doesn’t mean gravity has forgotten her; upward motion is not permanent. This contrasts with her earlier belief that once you understand something, it’s settled.
- Photographs and Sending: The captured image of Nora during free fall becomes a token she can share. Her choice of recipient reveals her unresolved emotional state.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 17 is a turning point for Nora’s inner journey. The skydiving scene literalizes the risk and exhilaration of letting go, yet Nora’s final action—sending the photo to Derek—shows that she is still tethered to her past. The chapter challenges the idea that geographic or emotional distance guarantees healing, and it deepens the reader’s understanding of Nora’s vulnerability. It also highlights Petra’s manipulative side and sets up potential tension with Jacob, who remains in the background.
Study Questions
1. Why does Nora send the photo to Derek instead of Jacob? Nora’s motives are mixed. She acknowledges pride, loneliness, and insecurity. On the plane, she wished Derek could see her bravery; sending the photo is an attempt to prove to him that she is not the helpless person he thought she was. It reveals that despite her progress, she still craves his validation.
2. How does the phantom limb metaphor evolve in this chapter? Initially, Nora dismisses the metaphor as silly—she has two good arms. But during the skydive, the old break reopens, showing that emotional attachments can flare up even after healing. The metaphor evolves from a severed limb to an active, jealous force, illustrating how progress is not linear.
3. What does Petra’s silent standoff reveal about her character? Petra’s refusal to argue or move after Nora’s refusal shows her determination and perhaps her belief that silence is more powerful than words. It is a tactic of psychological pressure, demonstrating her willingness to manipulate others for her own goals (filling the plane). It also highlights a strange, unspoken bond between her and Nora.