Chapter 12 Summary: The First Day of School and a Father’s Fall

⚠️ 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

The chapter opens on the first day of the school year at Windsor. Polly, a teacher, describes the familiar rituals: students arriving with new uniforms and trendy bags, the bright classroom decorations for younger girls, and the whiteboards that sync with student tablets. She reflects on a troubled former student who wrote “I hate this” repeatedly in a journal and later accused Polly of being a fraud. Polly teaches a Shakespeare seminar, a Women in Literature course featuring Jane Austen, and a Women in Poetry seminar that includes Joni Mitchell’s “Little Green.” She also leads an introductory English class where she challenges students to truly read Little Women again. During a free period, she receives a cryptic message from her mother’s secretary, Brenda, demanding a call between 1:00 and 1:30. Polly ignores the time constraint and calls Garrison, who reveals that their father fell and may have broken his hip. Garrison is en route to the hospital and reassures Polly while reminding her not to overreact. Polly feels hurt that their mother did not call her directly. She returns to class, hanging a poster with a Louisa May Alcott quote: “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” Inwardly she admits she still fears storms and capsizing.

Key Events

The narrator describes the first day of school at Windsor, including the uniform skirts, tablet technology, and students’ fashionable nylon bags.
Polly recalls a former student who wrote “I hate this” over and over; the girl later left school and years later called Polly a fraud.
Polly outlines her course load: a Shakespeare seminar, Women in Literature (Jane Austen), Women in Poetry (including Joni Mitchell), and an introductory English class with Middlemarch and Little Women.
The head’s secretary delivers a message from Brenda Livitz, Polly’s mother’s assistant, asking Polly to call chambers between 1:00 and 1:30.
Polly phones her mother’s office and learns the call is urgent but cannot be made at the specified time; Brenda says she will see about rescheduling.
Polly immediately calls Garrison, who tells her their father fell and has likely broken his hip; he is driving to the hospital.
Garrison calms Polly by recalling a past moment when he offered to beat up her ex-husband Benedict.
Polly calls Brenda back to say she already knows about the situation.
She prepares for her first-year class, putting up a poster with a Louisa May Alcott quote, though internally she feels the opposite of brave.

Character Development

Polly Geller: Shows her dedication to teaching and her emotional vulnerability. She juggles professional composure with personal anxiety when family crisis strikes. Her internal disagreement with the Alcott quote reveals lingering insecurity.
Garrison: Portrayed as the reliable, take-charge sibling. He is on the emergency call list, reassures Polly without coddling her, and uses humor to defuse her panic.
Polly’s mother (Judge Geller): Remains offstage but is depicted as controlling: she demands a specific callback window and operates through her efficient secretary Brenda. Her coldness contrasts with the warmth Polly craves.
The students: Briefly characterized—some are mean “as a snake,” others are intellectually ambitious or insecure. The troubled former student adds a haunting note about the limits of a teacher’s influence.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Storms and sailing: The central metaphor comes from the Alcott quote. Polly openly questions her own courage, suggesting she feels adrift and unprepared for life’s upheavals.
Performance vs. authenticity: Polly’s teaching requires constant “intellectual chess.” She also describes the school’s shiny surfaces (whiteboards, new bags) hiding deeper struggles, including a student’s despair.
Family duty and emotional distance: Polly’s mother uses intermediaries (Brenda) and strict scheduling, while Garrison acts as a bridge between Polly and the crisis. The father’s fall forces Polly to confront her peripheral role in family emergencies.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter marks the first real family emergency of the novel, shifting the focus from Polly’s professional life to her private worries. It deepens the tension between her role as a teacher, a daughter, and a sister. The contrast between the controlled school environment and the chaotic news from Edgemere underscores Polly’s sense of powerlessness. It also sets up a potential reexamination of her relationship with her mother and father as the story progresses.

Study Questions and Answers

How does Polly’s reaction to the phone message from Brenda reveal her relationship with her mother?
Polly is annoyed that her mother demands a specific callback window and bypasses direct communication. She calls Garrison first, not her mother, indicating that she feels more trust and comfort with her brother. The episode highlights a lack of warmth and direct emotional support from her mother.
What does the story of the former student who wrote “I hate this” suggest about the limits of a teacher’s impact?
Despite Polly caring about her students, she could not prevent the girl’s distress. The student later accused Polly of being a fraud, showing that a teacher may not always know what truly helps or harms. It underscores the theme of uncertainty in caring for others.
Why does Polly put up the Alcott quote even though she admits she still fears storms?
Polly uses the quote as a teaching tool and a facade of bravery for her students. Her internal honesty about fear suggests she is performing resilience while actually feeling vulnerable. The quote becomes ironic, pointing to the gap between outward confidence and inner anxiety.