Isola Chapter 23 (Chapter 21) 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
In the aftermath of the narrator’s confrontation with Roberval, she is escorted to the cabin by Jean Alfonse. She demands to see Auguste but is refused. The navigator advises her to beg forgiveness when her guardian returns. Damienne is horrified by the narrator’s disheveled state. The narrator bitterly deflects blame. Jean Alfonse suggests Roberval’s mood may improve now that Cartier has submitted, but the narrator knows her guardian is more intractable than the tides.
All day she imagines punishments: Auguste hanged, herself executed for treason and insubordination. By the time Roberval returns, she is as wretched as he could wish. Roberval announces they will sail for Charlesbourg-Royal in the morning, with Cartier accompanying them. He explains he subdued Cartier with threats, a show of force, and the King’s name. When Jean Alfonse asks about the secretary, Roberval orders food brought below for Auguste.
At dinner, the narrator refuses wine Roberval pours for her, defying him. He lets her leave with contempt. That night she considers sneaking to Auguste but fears provoking Roberval further. She goes to the deck instead. At dawn she sees that Cartier’s three ships have vanished—he cut his ropes and sailed away during the night. A cry goes up. Roberval arrives, first soft with surprise, then furious. He accuses the night watch of sleeping, but the captain deduces Cartier cut his ropes. Roberval vows to hang Cartier in France. He then announces that they will sail on without cowards, and the riches will be theirs alone; the colonists cheer.
The wind dies, and the ships drift. Roberval retreats to his cabin to write an account of Cartier’s crime. The narrator sits in agony. Eventually Roberval orders Auguste brought up, cuts his ropes, and questions him. Auguste refuses to apologize and says he will not hear Roberval abuse the narrator. The narrator kneels and begs forgiveness for Auguste. Roberval declares he will let them live together—but on an island. Jean Alfonse is to find one. The narrator asks how they will survive; Roberval says “as long as you can.” The narrator realizes it is a slow death sentence. She pleads for Damienne, who is blameless, but Roberval refuses to keep her. He allows them to take all they can carry, including weapons. He returns Auguste’s cittern, challenging him to play it.
Key Events
- The narrator is returned to the cabin frantic, wanting to see Auguste.
- Roberval returns, cheerful, having subdued Cartier with threats.
- The narrator refuses to drink the wine Roberval pours for her, a direct defiance.
- At dawn, the narrator sees Cartier’s three ships have escaped during the night.
- Roberval rages, vows to hang Cartier, then decides to sail on without him.
- Roberval frees Auguste, questions him, but Auguste does not apologize.
- The narrator kneels and begs mercy for Auguste.
- Roberval sentences both to be marooned on an island.
- The narrator fails to get Damienne spared.
- Roberval allows them to take supplies, weapons, and Auguste’s cittern.
Character Development
Narrator (ward): This chapter marks a turning point in her defiance. She refuses Roberval’s wine, showing she will take nothing from him. Her fear turns to contempt. She also demonstrates loyalty by kneeling for Auguste. Her desperation grows as she realizes her actions have doomed Damienne as well.
Roberval: He exhibits calculated cruelty. He feigns lightness after subduing Cartier but drops all pretense when confronted with the narrator’s defiance. His decision to maroon them—rather than execute—shows his preference for prolonged psychological torture. He plays at mercy by returning the cittern, adding a taunt.
Auguste: He remains stoic under questioning, refusing to abase himself. He tries to protect the narrator by asking for punishment for himself. His silence and lack of apology fuel Roberval’s anger.
Damienne: Though she has little agency, she is collateral damage. Her presence deepens the narrator’s guilt.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Marooning as slow death: Roberval’s sentence is not a quick execution but forced isolation, reflecting themes of abandonment and survival. The island becomes a space of both freedom and mortal danger.
Power and humiliation: Roberval’s cruelty lies in spectacle—freeing Auguste only to announce banishment, offering the cittern as a taunt. He wants to break their spirits before their bodies.
Illusion of freedom: The narrator reflects that Roberval always allowed her the illusion of being free. Now he removes even that pretense.
Silence and submission: The theme of silence recurs—the night watch heard nothing, Auguste offers no plea, and the narrator is left speechless. Silence can be complicity, resistance, or powerlessness.
Water as escape and trap: Cartier escapes by water, but the narrator and Auguste are left adrift on an island, surrounded by water that becomes a prison.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is the climax of the conflict between the narrator, Auguste, and Roberval. Cartier’s escape sets up a sudden shift in Roberval’s strategy, turning his rage onto the lovers. The marooning sentence is the most severe punishment seen so far, and it raises the stakes for the remainder of the novel. The narrator’s defiance becomes irreversible, and the theme of survival in isolation is established. The chapter also deepens Roberval’s characterization as a vengeful, theatrical tyrant.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does the narrator refuse to drink the wine Roberval pours for her?
She refuses as an act of defiance. She decides she will take nothing from his hand, asserting her autonomy even in a position of weakness. Roberval responds with contempt but allows her to leave, storing up his revenge.
2. What is Roberval’s motive in sentencing the narrator and Auguste to be marooned instead of executed?
Roberval prefers a slow, psychological punishment over quick death. By leaving them on an island, he forces them to survive with limited resources, and the uncertainty of “as long as you can” torments them more than a fixed penalty. It also removes them from his sight without the legal complications of killing them outright.
3. How does Cartier’s escape change the dynamics in this chapter?
Cartier’s escape removes Roberval’s main target and redirects his fury. He cannot punish Cartier, so he turns on the lovers. The escape also demonstrates that resistance is possible, which may inspire the narrator later. For Roberval, the loss of Cartier’s ships and knowledge makes the colony more dangerous and his behavior more erratic.