Later by Stephen King: Chapter 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

Liz picks Jamie up from school in her personal car and drives to Woodlawn Cemetery instead of home. She wants to test his ability to see dead people, now that she accepts it after the events at Regis Thomas's house. Jamie spots one man at a graveside service who might be dead—the only mourner not wearing a tie and looking unconcerned. Liz cannot see him. She presses Jamie about whether the dead attend their own burials, but Jamie becomes uneasy and refuses to approach the man. They drive through the cemetery, passing other services, and Jamie says he cannot identify any more dead. Liz worries Jamie will tell his mother about the trip and suggests they say they went for ice cream. Jamie agrees if she actually buys him one. Later, leaving the cemetery, Jamie sees a young woman on a bench with a little girl beside her. The girl has a hole in her throat and rosy cheeks. Jamie waves; the girl waves back. He does not tell Liz this time, nor his mother that night. He keeps the little girl to himself.

Key Events

Liz picks Jamie up from school and drives to Woodlawn Cemetery, claiming a field trip.
At the cemetery, Liz asks Jamie if he can see any dead people among the mourners.
Jamie points out a man in a blue suit without a tie as possibly dead, confirming when Liz says she cannot see him.
Liz probes whether the dead attend their own funerals, but Jamie does not answer definitively.
Jamie refuses to approach the dead man in front of the family, feeling trapped.
Liz suggests a cover story of getting ice cream; Jamie agrees if she actually buys one.
As they leave, Jamie sees a little girl with a hole in her throat sitting with her mother; he waves, and she waves back.
Jamie conceals this sight from Liz and later almost tells his mother but chooses not to.

Character Development

Jamie: Demonstrates growing awareness of his power and its limits. He sets boundaries with Liz, refusing to interact with the dead in public. His decision to keep the little girl a secret shows he is learning to control information about his gift, asserting independence.
Liz: Her curiosity about Jamie's ability borders on exploitation. She drives him without warning to a cemetery, pressures him to perform, and asks him to lie to his mother. This reinforces her manipulative and self-serving nature.
The dead children: The little girl with the hole in her throat is a haunting figure. Jamie’s silent wave and her wave back suggest a connection that exists outside of adult intervention; the dead are not just information but beings Jamie relates to on his own terms.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Secrecy and Power: Jamie keeps the vision of the little girl to himself, marking a shift. Withholding information becomes a form of control over his own narrative and protects him from being used.
Exploitation of Innocence: Liz uses Jamie as a tool to satisfy her curiosity, ignoring his discomfort. The ice cream bribe symbolizes how adults manipulate children through small rewards.
Burial and the Afterlife: The cemetery setting highlights the liminal space between life and death. Jamie’s observation that the dead look like regular people unless something was wrong with them when they died underscores the ambiguity of his power.
The Gaze of the Dead: The little girl waves back, implying that the dead can perceive Jamie even without him actively seeking them out. This mutual recognition deepens the eerie intimacy of his gift.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter solidifies Liz as a dangerous influence and shows Jamie's maturation. He stops being a passive vehicle for others' schemes; his choice to keep the little girl a secret is the first active step in taking ownership of his ability. The chapter also introduces a new, more personal dimension to Jamie's encounters with the dead—the little girl is not tied to a crime or a plot, but simply exists as a ghost who notices him. This foreshadows the emotional weight his gift will carry as the story progresses.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Jamie refuse to approach the dead man at Woodlawn Cemetery?
Jamie feels it would be inappropriate to interact with the deceased in front of the mourning family. He tells Liz he cannot be made to do it, asserting his own sense of decency and personal limits.
What does the little girl with the hole in her throat represent for Jamie?
She represents a private, untroubled connection to the dead that does not serve an adult agenda. By keeping her to himself, Jamie claims a secret, personal aspect of his gift that he does not have to explain or justify.
How does Liz’s suggestion to lie about ice cream characterize her relationship with Jamie?
It shows she prioritizes her own curiosity over honesty and Jamie's well-being. She is willing to manipulate him and deceive his mother to continue probing his abilities, revealing a selfish and unethical side.