Chapter 15, Part iii: Summary and Analysis

Spoiler Notice

This page contains detailed analysis of Chapter 15, part iii of Long Island by Colm Tóibín. If you have not read the chapter, please proceed with caution.

Summary

Jim waits for Eilis in his hallway, anxious that Nancy might call and discover them. He imagines Eilis walking along Court Street and briefly hopes she will not come so he can avoid the tension. When she arrives, they sit by the fireplace in his living room. Jim thanks her for coming and asks about her children. Eilis describes her daughter Rosella as studious and her son Larry as excited about their visit to Ireland. She notes how American her children have become. Throughout the conversation, Jim notices she never mentions her husband Tony. He avoids asking directly, wanting to preserve the moment. Eventually, Jim asks if she still lives with Tony. Eilis hesitates, says Tony drove her to the airport “so I suppose that says something,” and adds that she does not know what to say about it. Jim understands there is a problem in her marriage. Eilis then asks Jim why he never married. He avoids answering, thinking of his engagement to Nancy. Jim asks Eilis about her regrets; she says she would have stayed in Ireland if she had been stronger, but then would not have had her children. When Eilis presses Jim, he admits he regrets not following her to the boat when she left years ago. He then confesses that he wishes they had spent a night together back then. After a tense pause, he proposes they meet on Monday at the Montrose Hotel in Stillorgan for a night before she picks up her children at the airport on Tuesday. Eilis asks for clarity and says she will think about it. She leaves without any embrace, promising to leave him a note the next day. Jim asks if there is a chance, and she gently silences him.

Key Events

Jim waits for Eilis, fearing Nancy might appear.
Eilis arrives and they talk by the fireplace.
Eilis describes her children and their American identity.
Jim asks if Eilis still lives with Tony; her evasive answer hints at marital trouble.
Eilis asks Jim why he never married; Jim deflects.
Jim admits he regrets not following Eilis when she left Ireland.
Jim confesses he wishes they had spent a night together.
Jim proposes meeting at the Montrose Hotel in Dublin on Monday.
Eilis says she will consider the proposal and leave a note.

Character Development

Jim: Shows deep anxiety and longing. He weighs his engagement to Nancy against his attraction to Eilis. His proposal marks a bold departure from his usual shyness, revealing a willingness to risk everything for a chance with Eilis.
Eilis: Remains calm and deliberate. She hints at an unhappy marriage without directly stating it. Her careful questions and refusal to answer immediately show she is weighing Jim’s offer rationally. She asserts control by asking for time.
Nancy: Though offstage, her presence looms as a threat to the meeting. Jim’s fear of her discovering Eilis highlights the moral complications.
Tony: Mentioned only indirectly; his absence from conversation suggests a rift.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Regret and Missed Opportunities: Both Jim and Eilis verbally acknowledge regrets—Jim for not following her, Eilis for leaving Ireland. These regrets drive the chapter’s emotional weight.
Secrecy and Risk: The entire meeting is clandestine. Jim fears Nancy’s call, and the hotel plan requires deception. The motif of locked doors and quiet footsteps underlines the risk.
Time and the Past: Jim’s confession about what he wished they had done “when we were young” shows how the past still haunts the present. Eilis’s children embody the passage of time.
Ambiguity of Commitment: Eilis’s evasive answer about her husband and Jim’s hidden engagement create a layered uncertainty about what each character truly wants.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point in the novel. Jim acts on long-suppressed desire by making a bold proposal, and Eilis’s willingness to consider it sets up a potential confrontation with Nancy. It deepens the tension between past loyalty and present possibility, and reveals the fragility of Jim and Nancy’s engagement. The chapter also provides the most direct insight yet into Eilis’s troubled marriage and her unresolved feelings for Jim.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Jim first hope Eilis will not come, and why does that change? Jim initially fears the complication of Nancy discovering them. He briefly imagines an easier life if Eilis does not appear. However, when Eilis arrives, his longing overcomes his fear, and he becomes absorbed in the night together.

2. What does Eilis mean when she says Tony drove her to the airport “so I suppose that says something”? Eilis implies that her relationship with Tony is strained. The fact that he drove her does not prove a happy marriage; rather, it suggests a minimal, possibly only formal, connection. Jim interprets this as a sign that there is a problem at home.

3. Why does Jim not tell Eilis about his engagement to Nancy? Jim fears that mentioning Nancy would ruin the intimacy he feels with Eilis. He also wants to keep the possibility open for a future together, and revealing his commitment to Nancy would close that door. He chooses to keep the secret, hoping Eilis might be the one person he could trust, yet ultimately avoids the topic.