Chapter 24 Summary – Immortality by Dana Schwartz
⚠️ 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
In Chapter 24, Hazel simmers over her unresolved argument with Jack while visiting Princess Charlotte. Charlotte announces she has agreed to marry William of Orange, and she and Eliza tease Hazel about her rumored flirtation with Simon. Hazel helps Charlotte feign illness to skip a concert. At Kew Infirmary, Hazel finishes her medical treatise, but Marie-Anne warns her that publishing as a woman will limit readership; she advises using a male name. Simon arrives with a gift: a custom medical bag embossed with Hazel’s initials. Hazel recalls the moldy smell of her old bag and realizes the King’s illness may stem from damp walls releasing arsenic from the green wallpaper. She and Simon tear down the paper and move the King. Simon invites her for wine, but Hazel declines because she would think of Jack. While walking home, she finds Charlotte’s dog Edwina. Returning it, she accidentally enters Charlotte’s room and sees Charlotte and Eliza kissing. Hazel flees, embarrassed.
Key Events
- Hazel feels miserable about her fight with Jack and the summer heat.
- Charlotte confirms she will marry the Prince of Orange in September.
- Hazel agrees to fake an illness for Charlotte to avoid a Handel concert.
- Hazel completes her medical treatise at Kew; Marie-Anne suggests publishing under a male name.
- Simon gives Hazel a high-quality medical bag engraved with H.S.
- Hazel connects the moldy smell of her old bag to possible arsenic poisoning from wallpaper.
- She and Simon strip the King’s bedroom wallpaper and move the King to fresh air.
- Hazel turns down Simon’s celebratory wine, still preoccupied with Jack.
- While returning Edwina, Hazel walks in on Charlotte and Eliza kissing.
- Hazel quickly leaves, covering her eyes.
Character Development
- Hazel Sinnett – Gains confidence as a diagnostician; realizes her own medical skill. Still conflicted between her feelings for Jack and Simon. Applies practical reasoning to solve the King’s mystery.
- Princess Charlotte – Shows resignation about her political marriage, but also playful rebellion (asking for a fake illness). Her secret relationship with Eliza is exposed.
- Simon von Ferris – Demonstrates genuine care and partnership with Hazel; gives a thoughtful, expensive gift. Respects Hazel’s process.
- Marie-Anne Lavoisier – Reveals her own history of working without credit and advises Hazel pragmatically about gender and publication.
- Eliza – Previously seemed loyal to Charlotte; now shown to share an intimate bond with her.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Hidden dangers – The mold and arsenic in the wallpaper symbolize invisible threats that only scientific investigation can uncover.
- Gender and authorship – Marie-Anne’s advice forces Hazel to confront the trade‑off between personal credit and broad readership.
- Secrecy and visibility – Charlotte’s relationship with Eliza must remain hidden, paralleling the invisible work of women in science.
- The medical bag – A symbol of professional identity; Hazel’s old bag was ruined, but the new one from Simon represents both her growth and her emotional entanglement.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter advances two major plot arcs: Hazel’s career as a physician and her personal relationships. She proves her diagnostic skills by saving the King, validating her decision to become a surgeon. At the same time, the discovery of Charlotte and Eliza’s romance raises the stakes for Hazel’s role at court and introduces a forbidden bond that will likely complicate future events. Hazel’s choice to withhold her name from the treatise echoes the broader theme of women’s erasure from history. The chapter also deepens the romantic triangle between Hazel, Jack, and Simon.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What evidence leads Hazel to suspect arsenic poisoning in the King’s room, and how does she confirm it?
Hazel remembers the moldy smell of her ruined medical bag. In the King’s room, she notices both a strong moldy odor and dampness. She cuts open the vivid green wallpaper and finds black‑green mold underneath. Simon confirms that arsenic was used in the dye; the dampness allowed arsenic spores to enter the air, poisoning the King.
2. How does Marie‑Anne’s advice about publishing affect Hazel’s decision regarding her treatise?
Marie‑Anne explains that male names attract more readers and that she herself published her research under her husband’s name for the greater good. Hazel initially wants her own name, but by the end of the chapter she is still hesitating, with a drop of ink falling beside the “H” on the title page. The question remains unresolved.
3. Why does Hazel refuse Simon’s invitation to celebrate, and what does this reveal about her emotional state?
Hazel claims she is tired, but internally she knows that if she drank wine with Simon, she would spend the whole time thinking of Jack. This shows that despite Simon’s generosity and attractiveness, Hazel’s feelings for Jack are still strong, leaving her emotionally torn.