Chapter summaries I Think We've Been Here Before Suzy Krause

Chapter 23 ("22") – Jacob’s Proposal: Summary & 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.

Summary

Nora is alone in her apartment, carrying on conversations with imaginary versions of her former roommates: a critical “Pretend Petra” who rambles about time and memory, and a comforting “Pretend Sonja” who tells her everything will be okay. She receives a message from her ex-boyfriend Derek, then spends time stalking his social media, seeing videos of him with his new girlfriend Sophia. A knock at the door surprises her: it is Jacob, apologizing for not calling. After small talk, he awkwardly asks her to marry him. When Nora demands an explanation, he reveals that his mother suggested the marriage so that Jacob, who is not Canadian, can accompany Nora to Canada (where his sister Anna is stranded) under the emergency travel ban. Nora initially feels disappointed but quickly agrees, realizing she too is desperate to get home. Jacob tells her his father will handle the plane tickets. Overcome with relief, he accidentally knocks over a coffee mug, and Nora jokes, “It’s not the end of the world.” They share a genuine laugh, marking a hopeful moment.

Key Events

  • Nora conjures imaginary versions of Petra and Sonja to keep herself company.
  • Derek texts Nora about a photo she sent days earlier, then mentions seeing her parents at a pharmacy and says her father hates him.
  • Nora stalks Derek’s TikTok, seeing him with his new girlfriend Sophia.
  • Jacob knocks on Nora’s door, apologizes for not calling, and eventually asks her to marry him.
  • Jacob explains the reason: Canada’s emergency travel ban prevents non-citizens from entering; his sister Anna is stuck in Montreal, and his mother suggested a legal marriage so Jacob can go with Nora.
  • Nora agrees to the proposal after Jacob reveals his father will arrange plane tickets for her.
  • Jacob accidentally breaks a coffee mug; Nora’s joke lightens the moment.

Character Development

  • Nora: She is struggling with isolation, using imaginary versions of her friends to cope. Her reaction to Derek’s contact shows she is still emotionally tangled with her past. When Jacob proposes, her initial disappointment (“this is my one proposal”) gives way to practical acceptance, reflecting her desperation to go home. She also demonstrates empathy by putting aside romantic expectations to help Jacob reunite with his sister.
  • Jacob: He arrives anxious and sheepish, clearly uncomfortable with the proposal scenario. His willingness to beg or bribe shows his deep commitment to his family. After Nora agrees, he relaxes and laughs, revealing a lighter side that has been absent.
  • Imaginary Petra: Represents Nora’s internal critic and her interest in theoretical physics about time and memory, reinforcing the novel’s themes.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Memory and Time as Constructs: Petra’s speculation about “memory happening in the opposite direction” and the feeling that “they have been here before” connects to the novel’s recurring motif of déjà vu and the possibility that events are predetermined or cyclical.
  • Pragmatic Marriage vs. Romantic Love: The proposal is purely practical—Jacob’s mother suggests it, and Nora agrees out of desperation, not passion. This subverts the traditional romantic proposal and highlights how the end-of-world context changes human priorities.
  • Isolation and Coping Mechanisms: Nora summons imaginary friends to fill her loneliness, showing her psychological struggle. Her inability to call her mother or the credit card company further emphasizes her paralysis.
  • The Cat as a Symbol of Ease: Nora’s cat ignores her but immediately rubs against Jacob, suggesting a natural connection between Jacob and Nora’s life that even the cat recognizes.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is pivotal because it contains the first major turning point in Nora and Jacob’s relationship: the marriage proposal. It changes the trajectory of the plot from Nora’s passive waiting to active movement towards Canada. It also deepens the theme of unconventional love and sacrifice, demonstrating that in extraordinary times, people form bonds for survival and emotional support rather than romance. The chapter ends on a hopeful note, with genuine laughter breaking through the anxiety, suggesting that connection is possible even at the end of the world.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Nora agree to marry Jacob even though the proposal is not romantic?
Nora agrees primarily because she is desperate to get home and Jacob’s father offers to arrange plane tickets. She also feels sympathy for Jacob’s situation with his sister and recognizes that under normal circumstances, such a marriage would be unthinkable, but the end-of-world context makes practical decisions more important. Additionally, she feels a sense of fate (“they have been here before”) that makes the idea less strange.

2. What does Nora’s imaginary Petra reveal about Nora’s state of mind?
Imaginary Petra represents Nora’s own critical inner voice, one that challenges her and forces her to think about abstract concepts like time and memory. By summoning Petra, Nora is trying to stay intellectually sharp and avoid falling into complete despair. The fact that she can also summon a more comforting version of Sonja shows that her brain is trying to balance criticism with self-care.

3. How does the author use the broken coffee mug and Nora’s joke to signal a change in tone?
The coffee mug breaking is a small accident that could symbolize the shattering of old expectations. When Nora jokes, “It’s not the end of the world,” it breaks the tension and allows Jacob to laugh. This laugh is described as “the actual beginning of something,” shifting the chapter from anxiety and loneliness to hope and connection. It signals that the marriage, though born of desperation, might lead to genuine feeling.

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