Joan in 2003: Chapter 24 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 2003, eighteen-year-old Joan North lies awake during a violent thunderstorm while the rest of her family sleeps. The rotary phone in the hallway rings at 5:15 a.m. Joan, still groggy and wrapped in her pink robe, answers. Instead of the college acceptance letter she has been anxiously awaiting (she applied to the Royal College in London), she hears an automated operator: a collect call from Derek North, an inmate at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution. Joan has never accepted one of his calls before—he always timed them for when she and Mya were at school. But this time, she hesitates. She recalls Miss Dawn’s words: “Hardheaded women.” She also remembers the night years ago when she and Mya buried Derek’s wooden comb in the backyard under the magnolia tree, digging with her bare hands until her nail broke and bled. That memory, combined with her own stubbornness, pushes her to press “one” and accept the call.

Derek’s voice is now deep and full-grown. He says he has been thinking and has something he wants to tell her. Joan feels a surge of anger—she has fantasized for years about hurling curses at him, about making him feel the shame and fear he caused her. But when she tries to speak, the words fail. She is about to hang up when her fifteen-year-old sister Mya appears, snatches the receiver, and listens intently. After a brief exchange, Mya hangs up and announces they are going to visit Derek in prison. Joan protests: the prison is three hours away, it’s a Tuesday, and they have school. Mya is unmoved. She insists they both skip school and take the Shelby. Joan realizes she has no choice. As they prepare to leave, Mya tells Joan that on the drive, Joan can finally explain what Derek did to her all those years ago.

Key Events

Joan answers a collect call from Derek North, a first for her.
She recalls burying Derek’s comb in the backyard with Mya years earlier.
Derek says he has something to tell her, but the conversation is cut short.
Mya takes the phone, listens, and then declares they will visit Derek in prison.
Joan tries to argue logistics (distance, school day) but Mya overrides her.
Mya insists Joan will explain the truth about Derek during the drive.

Character Development

Joan is at a turning point. She has spent years suppressing the trauma Derek inflicted, burying his comb as a symbolic act of denial. Now, at eighteen, she is on the cusp of adulthood—she has applied to art school in London and is waiting to hear back. Her decision to accept the call, despite her fear and anger, shows a growing willingness to confront the past. Yet she still struggles to articulate her pain; when she tries to speak to Derek, the words are gone. Her sister’s intervention forces her to move forward, even if she is not ready.

Mya emerges as a fierce protector and pragmatist. Though only fifteen, she is already determined to become a doctor, and she shows the same resolve in this moment. She does not hesitate to take the phone, make the decision, and insist on accompanying Joan. Her demand that Joan explain what Derek did is both a challenge and an act of solidarity—she refuses to let Joan face this alone.

Derek is heard only briefly, but his voice has changed. He sounds remorseful, or at least willing to talk. He claims he has had time to think and wants to say something. Whether he is genuinely seeking forgiveness or simply manipulating remains unclear, but his call forces the family’s buried secret to the surface.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Buried Trauma and Confronting the Past: The comb Joan buried years ago is a powerful symbol of her attempt to bury the memory of Derek’s abuse. Her decision to accept his call—and Mya’s insistence on visiting him—represents the beginning of a confrontation with that buried trauma.

Sibling Solidarity: Mya’s actions show that Joan is not alone. Mya takes charge, protects Joan from having to make the choice alone, and demands the truth. This echoes the earlier scene where Mya helped Joan bury the comb, but now the sisters are moving toward healing rather than denial.

Education and Ambition: Joan’s wait for a college acceptance letter and Mya’s dream of becoming a doctor highlight the family’s emphasis on education as a path forward. Mama’s recent nursing school graduation (she finished a year early and gave a valedictorian speech) reinforces this theme. The chapter contrasts the sisters’ bright futures with the shadow of Derek’s crime.

Hardheadedness as a Family Trait: Miss Dawn’s phrase “Hardheaded women” recurs. Joan’s stubbornness in accepting the call, Mya’s refusal to back down, and even Mama’s determination in her studies all reflect this trait. It is both a flaw and a source of strength.

Magic and Memory: Joan wonders if Miss Dawn’s “magic” is real, linking the act of confronting Derek to a kind of spiritual reckoning. The memory of the comb burial is vivid and sensory, showing how deeply the past is etched into Joan’s mind.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a pivotal moment in Joan’s arc. It moves her from passive avoidance to active engagement with the source of her trauma. The phone call and the planned prison visit set up a direct confrontation that has been building since the family moved to Memphis. It also deepens the bond between Joan and Mya, showing that the younger sister is not just a sidekick but a force for change. The chapter reinforces the novel’s themes of generational legacy, healing, and the courage required to face painful truths. It also raises the stakes for Joan’s future—she is about to leave for art school, but she must first reckon with her past.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Joan decide to accept Derek’s collect call, despite never having done so before?

Joan accepts the call because she is at a crossroads in her life. She has just turned eighteen, applied to art school, and is waiting to hear back. The memory of Miss Dawn’s words “Hardheaded women” and her own buried anger push her to act. She also recalls the night she buried Derek’s comb, a symbolic act of trying to bury the trauma. By accepting the call, she is beginning to confront the past rather than avoid it.

2. What does Mya’s reaction to the phone call reveal about her character?

Mya is decisive, protective, and unafraid to take control. She snatches the phone, listens, and immediately declares they will visit Derek. She overrides Joan’s objections about distance and school, showing that she prioritizes her sister’s emotional well-being over rules. Her demand that Joan explain what Derek did demonstrates her desire for truth and her willingness to stand by Joan through the difficult conversation.

3. How does the chapter use the symbol of the buried comb to connect past and present?

The comb represents Joan’s attempt to bury her trauma. In the past, she dug a hole with her bare hands, breaking a nail and bleeding, to hide the comb. In the present, she is forced to unearth that memory by accepting Derek’s call and agreeing to visit him. The act of digging is mirrored by the emotional excavation she is about to undertake. The comb’s burial and the planned visit show that the past cannot stay buried forever.