Chapter 25: Thomas Kennedy – 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
Though Thomas visits Hannah and Josiah less after Gabriel’s departure, he still joins them for meals. In private moments Hannah whispers questions about Gabriel. Thomas tells her Gabriel broke up with Isabella before moving to London and recounts a wrestling match in which Gabriel’s prosthetic leg fell off, then became a weapon to defeat his opponents. Hannah calls it horrifying, but Thomas emphasizes the entertainment. He hides Gabriel’s “Anakim, the Amish Giant” persona, the legal troubles, and the scandalous photos.
Josiah announces he will be away for a week in August on a kitchen renovation job, leaving Hannah alone to run the farm. The dates align with Gabriel’s championship match in Chicago. After Josiah goes to bring food to Absalom, Thomas asks Hannah to go with him to the match and to visit his mother in Milwaukee. She accepts. While washing dishes, Hannah usually places plates in a rack to avoid touching Thomas; this time she hands a plate directly to him. She says, “We’ll have the day,” and Thomas lies awake that night pondering the promise and the boundary in those words.
Key Events
- Thomas updates Hannah on Gabriel’s breakup with Isabella and his wrestling life.
- A wrestling match is narrated: Gabriel’s prosthesis falls off, and he swings it to beat the crooked referee and Pretty Boy Cloyd.
- Hannah declines to watch a video but stays curious.
- Josiah’s out-of-town job creates an opening for Thomas to invite Hannah to Chicago.
- Thomas hesitates, then asks Hannah to go; she agrees.
- The dishwashing scene shifts their unspoken rules: she hands him a plate directly.
- Hannah says, “We’ll have the day,” and Thomas obsesses over its meaning.
Character Development
Thomas Kennedy: His quiet attraction to Hannah surfaces more plainly. He is sensitive to Amish customs yet dares to propose a daylong escape. His internal monologue reveals loneliness and a longing he cautiously nurses, while also acknowledging the possibility that “the day” may be a one-time exception.
Hannah: Her whispered questions show she still cares about Gabriel. Accepting the trip demonstrates her willingness to step beyond daily routines, and the deliberate plate-handing breaks the physical distance she usually maintains. Her words suggest both hope and an awareness that such a day cannot be repeated.
Josiah: He trusts Hannah to manage the farm and remains unaware of the emotional currents; his absence is the practical catalyst for the plan.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Forbidden intimacy and touch: The dishwashing ritual normally prevents Hannah from accidentally touching Thomas. Her direct handover of the plate parallels the upcoming trip—a deliberate crossing of a carefully maintained border.
Wrestling as manufactured reality vs. private truth: Thomas describes Gabriel’s staged fights but omits the Amish-giant gimmick and the real-world scandals, shielding Hannah from a less innocent version of her son’s fame.
Bounded time and impermanence: “We’ll have the day” frames the excursion as a self-contained gift. Thomas senses both invitation and limitation; the day will happen once and then vanish.
Silence and wordless communication: Long pauses, whispered inquiries, and the plate exchange all carry meaning that language would disrupt. The chapter itself is steeped in what is not said.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter marks a turning point in Thomas and Hannah’s relationship. The planned trip to Chicago sets the stage for emotional exposure, while highlighting the cultural and personal barriers they navigate. Thomas’s reflections deepen our understanding of his grief, his yearning, and his scrupulous respect for Hannah’s world. The dramatic irony—Hannah knows nothing of Gabriel’s “Amish Giant” act—intensifies the tension between the life she imagines for her son and the one he actually leads.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Hannah’s dishwashing routine matter, and how does the moment she hands Thomas a plate change the scene’s significance?
Her routine prevents even accidental touch, respecting Amish norms. By handing the plate directly, she makes a deliberate exception that symbolizes trust and an unspoken willingness to let boundaries soften for this one day. -
How does Thomas’s decision to withhold details about Gabriel’s Amish-giant persona and scandals shape our view of him?
It shows he wants to protect Hannah from the coarseness of Gabriel’s reality. This protective instinct reveals his own conflicted feelings about Gabriel’s path and his desire to preserve a gentle version of the world for Hannah. -
What is the double meaning of Hannah’s phrase “We’ll have the day”?
On one level it promises a shared, private experience. On another it sets a limit: the day will happen once and then end. The phrase acknowledges that their lives are not free to merge, only to touch briefly.