Chapter 21 Summary – I Think We've Been Here Before
⚠️ 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
Hilda cannot find her silver locket, a cheap gift from her daughter Nora that she regards as precious. After searching every possible location—the car, behind the dresser, under the night table—she asks Marlen, who is chopping wood inspired by Alfie's advice. Marlen is winded but finds purpose in the task. Hilda continues to redial a phone, likely trying to reach Nora. Marlen suggests she wear another necklace, but he cannot picture any specific piece. They sit together by the fire as dusk falls. Marlen reflects on his book manuscript, wishing he had captured Hilda fully in its pages, wanting her to see how much he cherished her. Wrapping himself in Nora's neon pink tie-dye comforter, he feels an ache for his daughter. He then has a strange vision of Nora abroad while he is dying and the world ends—a fear he dismisses as overblown. He struggles to remember Nora's boyfriend's name, eventually landing on "Jacob" but feeling uncertain. Hilda wants him to stay awake with her; he complies, adding more logs to the fire. Marlen changes the subject to a cougar sighting by their neighbor Jerry. Hilda recalls a childhood encounter with a cougar.
Key Events
- Hilda searches frantically for her lost necklace, a gift from Nora.
- Marlen chops wood, finding physical exertion rewarding.
- Hilda asks Marlen about the necklace; he cannot recall it.
- Marlen and Hilda sit together by the fire at dusk.
- Marlen reflects on his book and his desire to make Hilda feel noticed and cherished.
- Marlen wraps himself in Nora's comforter and feels an ache for her.
- Marlen experiences a vivid, anxiety-driven vision of a disastrous future.
- Marlen cannot remember the name of Nora's boyfriend; he guesses "Jacob" but doubts it.
- Hilda pressures Marlen to stay up; he relents.
- Marlen tells Hilda about Jerry's cougar sighting; Hilda shares a memory of her own.
Character Development
Hilda shows vulnerability and desperation over the lost necklace, which symbolizes her bond with Nora. Her anxiety manifests as obsessive searching and persistent phone redialing. She also craves Marlen's company, growing "greedy for his time." Marlen reveals his inner life: his writing as an attempt to capture and cherish Hilda, his paternal love for Nora, and his struggle with fear and memory. Chopping wood gives him a sense of purpose. His difficulty remembering Nora's boyfriend's name and his earlier forgetting of the word "pickle" hint at age-related decline or the mental toll of impending doom. The outdoor fire scene deepens the connection between Marlen and Hilda, showing their quiet intimacy.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- The lost necklace symbolizes connection to family and the fear of losing that tie in the face of the apocalypse. Hilda's desperation for a cheap locket emphasizes its emotional weight.
- Fire and the outdoors represent clarity, memory, and a fleeting sense of normalcy. The cold air "wakes you up" and makes the mind feel bright.
- Writing as preservation — Marlen wishes his book could fully contain Hilda, highlighting the limits of art to capture a real person. Being noticed equals being cherished.
- Forgetting — Marlen's lapses (pickle, Nora's boyfriend's name) underscore the fragility of memory and the anxiety of mortality.
- The dangerous star vs. a cougar — the existential threat of the asteroid feels less plausible than a local cougar, contrasting immediate fear with abstract catastrophe.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens readers' understanding of Marlen and Hilda's relationship, showing the tenderness and quiet worry beneath their daily routines. Marlen's reflections on his book reveal his lifelong love for Hilda in a way that feels earned, not sentimental. The chapter also plants seeds of anxiety around memory and loss, preparing for later developments. By juxtaposing a small personal crisis (a lost necklace) with the cosmic threat, the author emphasizes how humans cling to the tangible when faced with the unimaginable.
Study Questions
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Why is Hilda so desperate to find her necklace?
The necklace was a gift from her daughter Nora, and Hilda sees it as a symbol of their connection. With the possibility that she may never see or speak to Nora again, the locket becomes a placeholder for her daughter, making the loss feel unbearable. -
What does Marlen reflect on while sitting by the fire with Hilda?
He thinks about his book manuscript and his goal of making Hilda recognize herself in its pages. He wanted her to see how much he had noticed about her over the years, because being noticed made a person feel cherished, and he wanted her to know how much he cherished her. -
What does Marlen's inability to recall Nora's boyfriend's name suggest?
It suggests normal age-related forgetfulness (he earlier forgot the word "pickle"), but also reflects his underlying anxiety. The stressful situation—the approaching asteroid and Nora's absence—may be clouding his mind, making even familiar details slip away.