Later Chapter 14 (Chapter Index 17): 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

In Chapter 14, Jamie Conroy gives a frank, retrospective account of his mother’s girlfriend, Liz Dutton. He describes her appearance, her kindness (bringing him Matchbox cars, playing with him, hugging him), and her coldness (studying him like a specimen, criticizing his messy room and nightlight). Jamie admits his jealousy: Liz stole his mother’s attention after they became a couple, and he felt like “You and me against the world” no longer applied.

The chapter then shifts to Christmas 2009, which Jamie calls the best of his childhood. He and his mother spend the morning with Liz (who makes Santa pancakes), then have an early lunch at Chinese Tuxedo before Liz goes to work. In the afternoon, Jamie and his mother visit their old neighbor, Mr. Burkett, for a turkey-sandwich dinner. Gifts are exchanged: Jamie gives Mr. Burkett a snow globe; Mom gives him The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes; Mr. Burkett gives Mom a locket that belonged to his late wife, and gives Jamie Twenty Unexpurgated Fairy Tales. Mr. Burkett explains the word “unexpurgated” means uncensored, and mentions that in the original Cinderella the stepsisters cut off their toes and the slipper was made of squirrel fur. The evening ends with hot chocolate from Zabar’s.

After this idyllic holiday, the narrative jumps to 2010, when arguments between Liz and Jamie’s mother begin. Earlier they had “spirited discussions” about books and movies, but now fights erupt over politics (John Boehner vs. Nancy Pelosi, Obama’s birthplace) and police tactics (racial profiling versus “high crime areas”). The frequency and intensity increase, partly because both women are drinking too much. Jamie recalls mornings with empty wine bottles and hungover adults, the smell of wine permeating the apartment, and his learned quiet behavior. He contrasts this with a later memory in college where spilled Zinfandel triggers a painful flashback, making him want to get away from that smell, which he now associates with his mother’s hollow eyes and Liz’s snarled hair.

Key Events

Jamie describes his mixed feelings toward Liz Dutton: she can be kind and playful, but also cold and critical.
Jamie admits to feeling jealous of Liz for taking his mother’s attention.
Christmas 2009: Jamie celebrates with Liz in the morning, then has dinner with Mr. Burkett in his apartment.
Mr. Burkett gives Jamie Twenty Unexpurgated Fairy Tales and discusses the original violent fairy tales.
The narrative shifts to arguments starting in 2010: political disagreements, racial profiling debates, and excessive drinking take a toll.
Jamie recalls hangover mornings and the smell of wine, which later triggers a powerful aversive memory in college.

Character Development

Jamie Conroy: The narrator reflects on his childhood jealousy and loneliness. He shows emotional complexity by acknowledging both love and resentment toward Liz. His perspective matures as he recognizes the unhealthy drinking patterns and how they affected him.
Liz Dutton: Revealed as a layered character: capable of warmth (playing with Jamie, making pancakes) but also possessiveness and judgment (criticizing Jamie’s messiness, wanting his nightlight gone). Her political views and drinking problem emerge.
Tia (Jamie’s mother): Shown as a loving but distracted parent, trying to balance work and a relationship. She defends Jamie’s nightlight and tries to shield him from the worst of the arguments, but her drinking worsens.
Mr. Burkett: The retired professor emerges as a steady, intellectual figure. He treats Jamie with respect, engages him in learning, and fills a paternal role by giving meaningful gifts and offering companionship.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Jealousy and Rivalry: Jamie explicitly likens his feelings toward Liz to a Freudian mother fixation; his longing for his mother’s undivided attention drives his narrative.
Alcoholism and Its Toll: The chapter traces the progression from occasional wine to hangover mornings, bottle-filled trash, and the smell of wine that later traumatizes Jamie. It symbolizes the eroding stability of Jamie’s home life.
Memory and Triggers: Jamie’s college flashback to spilled Zinfandel shows how sensory associations can resurrect painful childhood memories, emphasizing that the past never fully disappears.
Fairy Tales and Truth: Mr. Burkett’s unexpurgated fairy tales parallel the novel’s own unflinching look at adult realities: beneath the surface of family comfort lie violence, loss, and dysfunction.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 14 deepens the portrait of Jamie’s home environment, showing the cracks in his family’s happiness. The happy Christmas is the peak before a decline marked by political fights and drinking. The introduction of Mr. Burkett provides a positive adult influence—a mentor figure who values intellectual curiosity and offers Jamie a kind of fatherly affection. The chapter also foreshadows Jamie’s future trauma: the spilled wine memory suggests that the emotional damage of his childhood will persist. Furthermore, Liz’s character becomes more nuanced, complicating Jamie’s feelings and setting up potential conflict.

Study Questions and Answers

What does Jamie’s reaction to the spilled Zinfandel in college reveal about his childhood?
Answer: The smell triggers vivid memories of his mother’s and Liz’s hangovers, the empty wine bottles, and his learned need to be quiet and careful. It shows that despite his efforts to move on, the emotional wounds from the drinking and tension remain—he still associates that smell with his mother’s hollow eyes and Liz’s snarled hair.
Why does Jamie call Christmas 2009 the best Christmas of his childhood despite the arguments that followed?
Answer: That day combined affection from Liz, a special present from Mr. Burkett, and his mother’s happiness. In hindsight, it stands out because it came before the fighting and drinking intensified, representing a brief period of harmony.
How does Mr. Burkett serve as a father figure for Jamie in this chapter?
Answer: Mr. Burkett gives Jamie a thoughtful gift (the book of unexpurgated fairy tales), engages him in intellectual conversation, and includes him in holiday traditions. Jamie admits he has “a soft spot for fathers, not having one myself,” and Mr. Burkett provides the mentoring and warmth Jamie lacks.