Chapter 28: Twenty-Seven – Summary and 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
Arthur returns to The Briars that evening to find the group gathered on the patio, burning the old Christmas tree. The night is bitterly cold and clear. He notices a single set of footprints in the snow—his own from the previous night, but he realizes the thing he chased existed only in his head. The others are drunk and celebratory: Donna mimes with lighter fluid, Allie collapses laughing, and Van fails to light the tree with a cigarette. Gwen Underfoot tosses the butt onto the spruce, and it ignites with a great flash. Arthur and Gwen share a moment of near intimacy, but Arthur pulls away, haunted by his memory of Tana Nighswander and his determination to return to England. Gwen’s final comment—“So that’s up in smoke”—remains ambiguous, leaving their future uncertain.
Key Events
- Arthur arrives at The Briars and sees the French doors open, leading to the group on the patio.
- He discovers a trail of pine needles and a single footprint, realizing his previous night’s chase was imaginary.
- The group is drunk and singing “Nothin’ but a Good Time”; Donna pretends the lighter fluid is a penis.
- Van tosses a cigarette at the tree but misses; Gwen picks it up and successfully ignites the tree.
- As the tree burns, Arthur and Gwen almost kiss, but Arthur steps back, remembering Tana and his plan to leave America.
- Gwen notices Arthur’s hesitation and seems to understand; she steps away and makes an ambiguous remark.
Character Development
- Arthur: His internal conflict deepens. He desires Gwen but is paralyzed by guilt over his involvement with Tana Nighswander and his need to escape to England. He sees a relationship as a trap that would “impale” him to America.
- Gwen Underfoot: She shows affection and hope, but when Arthur pulls back, she reads his emotions and gracefully retreats. Her final line suggests she understands the rejection, whether of her or of their future together.
- The Group: Colin, Donna, Allie, Van, and Donovan appear carefree and drunk, contrasting with Arthur’s sober turmoil. Their ritual burning of the tree underscores a desire to leave the past behind, which Arthur cannot share.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Guilt and Moral Compromise: Arthur’s memory of Tana—a woman “peddled” by her sister Jayne—haunts him. He feels he has become the kind of man who exploits others, and this self-loathing prevents him from pursuing genuine connection.
- Escape vs. Entrapment: Arthur’s desire to cross the ocean is likened to a “sick man needs medicine.” Love for Gwen would be a “silver pin” that fastens him to America, a fate he fears more than his current servitude.
- Fire as Cleansing and Destruction: The burning Christmas tree is meant to symbolically burn “last year to the motherfucking ground.” For Arthur, the fire offers no such catharsis; it only illuminates what he cannot leave behind.
- Ambiguity and Unspoken Truth: Gwen’s final line—“So that’s up in smoke”—could refer to the tree or their potential relationship. Neither character addresses what nearly happened, leaving the emotional resolution suspended.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter crystallizes Arthur’s central conflict: he wants to be a better man but feels irredeemably compromised. The near-kiss with Gwen represents a tempting alternative—a future of love and belonging—but his guilt and fear of entrapment overrule his desires. The chapter also reinforces his solitary path: even among friends, he is isolated. The ambiguous ending sets up tension for the coming chapters, as Arthur’s plan to return to England conflicts with the connections he is making at The Briars.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Arthur pull away from Gwen when they almost kiss?
Arthur is haunted by his memory of Tana Nighswander, whom Jayne “peddled” to men for compliance. He feels he has become the same kind of man by taking advantage of Tana’s situation. Additionally, he is desperate to return to England in August; a relationship with Gwen would bind him to America, a prospect he equates with being “impaled” and “mortally wounded.” He believes that staying only as her friend allows him to atone without trapping himself.
2. What does the burning Christmas tree symbolize for Arthur versus the group?
For Colin and the others, the burning tree is a ritual to incinerate the past and start fresh. For Arthur, the fire offers no such release. He is still burdened by his actions and his entrapment by Jayne. The tree’s destruction underscores his inability to move on, as his own past refuses to burn away.
3. How does the author use setting to reflect Arthur’s emotional state?
The “bitter cold” and “blackest and clearest night sky” mirror Arthur’s internal isolation and clarity of purpose—he knows he must leave. The salt flats and “gasping” ocean evoke a desolate, in-between space, much like Arthur’s limbo between guilt and escape. The trail of pine needles leading to the group suggests a path he cannot fully join.