Long Island, Chapter 21 (iii): The Decision on the Strand

⚠️ Spoiler Notice

This summary and analysis covers Chapter 21, part iii of Long Island by Colm Tóibín. The chapter reveals major plot developments, including the reason for Eilis’s separation from Tony and the agreement she reaches with Jim. If you have not yet read this section, proceed with caution.

Summary

Eilis wakes beside Jim in Martin’s house after he answered her phone call. They spend the morning together, first sharing breakfast, then walking along the strand near Knocknasillogue. On the beach, Eilis explains that she received news from home that made her decide to leave Tony. She reveals that Tony had a baby with another woman and has moved the child into his mother’s house. Eilis plans to return to Long Island, buy her own house with her brother’s help, and settle her children. Jim insists he cannot wait indefinitely for word; he wants to come to New York as soon as possible. They agree on a plan: Jim will move to America, live apart initially, and see Eilis irregularly while she finalises her divorce. Jim asks if she loves him; she confirms she does. He leaves to open the bar, promising she will not change her mind.

Key Events

Eilis and Jim spend the night together and wake in the single bed.
Jim recalls Jack Lacey’s earlier bar-room hint that Eilis might be available.
Eilis cooks breakfast and they walk south to the strand.
Jim admits he has not swum since the earlier trip with Eilis, Nancy, and George.
Eilis swims while Jim waits with her towel.
On the walk north, Eilis volunteers why she called: she has decided to leave Tony.
She explains the “complications”: Tony fathered a child with another woman, and she must not be blamed for the breakup.
Eilis outlines her practical plan: return to Lindenhurst, buy a house, keep her job.
Jim rejects the idea of waiting for word; he wants to travel to New York immediately.
They discuss the logistics of secrecy, winter loneliness, and a cover story.
Jim asks directly if she loves him; Eilis answers “Yes, I can” and says that is why she is there.
Jim returns to work, and Eilis promises not to leave a note changing her mind.

Character Development

Eilis Lacey reaches a definitive turning point. Having carried the burden of her secret marriage for years, she now articulates the reasons for leaving—Tony’s betrayal with another woman and the resulting baby—and takes control of her future. She insists on being seen as “the innocent one” to protect herself in a divorce settlement. Her detailed planning (house, school, job) shows a pragmatic determination, yet she remains cautious about committing Jim to a hard winter alone. Her affirmation of love for Jim, given directly on the strand, marks a rare moment of emotional candour.

Jim Farrell grows more assertive throughout the chapter. He refuses to accept an indefinite wait, setting a clear condition: he will come to New York immediately or not at all. This decisiveness contrasts with his earlier passivity in the bar. By asking bluntly “What did Tony do?” and later “Do you love me?”, Jim strips away ambiguity. His willingness to uproot himself—to rent out the pub and face visa struggles—demonstrates how deeply he is invested. The underpants joke, placed early, signals both domestic intimacy and his readiness to adapt to new expectations.

Jack Lacey’s brief appearance in Jim’s memory reinforces the theme of family loyalty. Jack’s oblique offer to “help out” shows that at least one member of the Lacey family is aware of Eilis’s unhappiness and tacitly encourages a reunion.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Secrecy and Cover Stories: The entire future Eilis and Jim plan depends on a fiction—that Jim just “happened to be in New York” and they met as single people. This motif echoes the earlier secrecy of Eilis’s marriage to Tony and suggests that the new relationship may begin under a similar cloud of concealment.

The Sea and the Strand: The beach setting functions as a liminal space, removed from the watching eyes of Enniscorthy. Jim’s choice to walk north toward Knocknasillogue ensures they will see no one. The cold water that Eilis flinches from becomes a metaphor for the difficult truth she must now confront. The seabirds that fly up in a single motion mirror the couple’s sudden decision to change their lives.

Time and Waiting: Jim’s ultimatum—“I can’t stay here and wait for some sign”—pits his need for immediacy against Eilis’s schedule. The phrase “six months” recurs, and the chapter deliberately leaves the exact timeline vague. The winter that Jim will spend alone in New York symbolises the emotional coldness he must endure before reunion.

Innocence and Blame: Eilis’s insistence on being “the innocent one” elevates a legal necessity into a moral identity. She wants to exit the marriage without guilt, shifting all responsibility onto Tony. This concern colours every practical decision, from the cover story to the timing of Jim’s arrival.

Why This Chapter Matters

This is the emotional and narrative crux of the novel’s central romance. Until now, Jim and Eilis have circled each other in stolen moments; here they finally speak plainly about their desires and the obstacles ahead. The revelation of Tony’s affair and child provides the unambiguous motive for Eilis’s separation, removing the ambiguity that has hung over her return to Ireland. The chapter also locks the plot into a new trajectory: Jim will emigrate, the two will build a life in America, and the secret of their earlier connection must be protected. Tóibín balances intimacy (the breakfast, the sea, the kiss on the strand) with sobering practicality (visas, divorce, neighbourhood eyes), making this a chapter that advances both character and consequence.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Eilis insist she must be seen as “the innocent one” in the breakup?
She believes that being blamed could harm her divorce settlement and her standing with her children. By leaving with a clean record, she can present herself as the wronged party, which also aligns with her need for moral clarity after Tony’s betrayal.
What does Jim’s demand to come to New York “as soon as I possibly can” reveal about his character?
It shows that Jim has shed his earlier hesitation. He refuses to live in uncertainty, preferring a difficult winter alone to the torment of waiting for a letter that may never come. This assertiveness marks a decisive break from the passive role he played earlier in the novel.
How does the beach setting reinforce the emotional stakes of the conversation?
The isolated strand allows the couple to speak without fear of being overheard, yet the cold water, the bare cliffs, and the startled birds all echo the rawness of the truth they are finally sharing. The landscape acts as a silent witness to a promise that will shape the rest of their lives.