Chapter 16 Summary and Analysis: The Weight of Winter

⚠️ 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

Polly and her mother-in-law Lou sit by a fireplace in the drafty, unmodernized Bailey family house while the rest of the family goes skiing. Polly admits she hates February, recalling past tragedies—the revelation about Benedict, the news of Edgemere, and a miscarriage that left her with a cut on her palm. Lou, a former teacher, listens without pressing. Polly recounts a recent meeting with the head of her school, who warned that parents might object to her teaching Anne Sexton’s poetry (similar to an earlier dispute over The Bell Jar). Later, a mother named Carrie Berg visits Polly’s office, weeping about her daughter Josephine, a former star student who has withdrawn from Harvard and locked herself in her room. Polly feels guilty for having earlier told Josephine "you’ll be fine." Lou suggests that Emily, Mark’s sister-in-law, had a similar crisis during her first year at Brown and might offer insight. The skiing party returns in bad humor, cutting the conversation short. Polly also continues to wrestle with whether to act on Barbara Burton’s ominous comment about Sarah’s health, having so far chosen silence.

Key Events

Polly and Lou sit by the fire while the family is skiing; the house is cold and drafty.
Polly explains her hatred of February, linking it to past personal losses and a miscarriage.
Lou shows wisdom and patience, reading Polly’s mood without forcing her to speak.
Polly recalls the head of school discussing parent complaints about teaching Anne Sexton because of the poet’s suicide.
Carrie Berg, Josephine’s mother, visits Polly’s office and reveals that Josephine has dropped out of Harvard and become reclusive.
Polly realizes she gave Josephine a glib "you’ll be fine" response earlier and feels ashamed.
Lou hints that Emily went through something similar during her first year at Brown.
The family returns from skiing, with Sophia loudly complaining.
Polly reflects on her continued avoidance of telling Sarah about Barbara Burton’s concern, remembering Sarah’s delight at the New Year’s book club.

Character Development

Polly: Experiences a crisis of self-doubt regarding her teaching choices and her habit of offering empty reassurances. Her avoidance of difficult conversations—with Josephine’s mother and with Sarah—reveals a deep fear of causing pain.
Lou: Emerges as a source of quiet, grounded wisdom. She is patient and perceptive, and she connects Polly’s current dilemma to Emily’s past struggle, showing the family’s history of handling emotional crises.
Josephine (offstage): Described as a formerly perfect student who has suddenly collapsed under pressure, mirroring the potential danger of academic and parental expectations.
The head of school: Supportive of Polly but cautious, representing the institutional forces that shape what can and cannot be taught.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Winter as emotional landscape: February is repeatedly associated with grief, loss, and stagnation. Polly’s hatred of the season symbolizes her unresolved trauma and her dread of facing difficult truths.
Avoidance and platitudes: Polly criticizes herself for using "cheap and easy" responses (e.g., "you’ll be fine") and recognizes that such phrases can be insulting. This motif runs through her interactions with Josephine, Sarah, and even her mute father.
Maternal figures: Lou, Barbara Burton, and Sarah all represent different kinds of mothering—nurturing, intuitive, and protective. Polly’s own questions about motherhood and her inability to become a mother linger in the background.
The risk of teaching dark literature: The debate over teaching Plath and Sexton reflects a broader tension between protecting young people and exposing them to uncomfortable truths about mental health.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 16 deepens Polly’s internal conflict about responsibility and honesty. It ties together her professional life (the Josephine crisis and the Sexton controversy) with her personal life (her fear for Sarah and her own history of miscarriage). Lou’s quiet presence offers a model of compassionate listening, contrasting with Polly’s pattern of avoidance. The chapter also foreshadows that Sarah’s health may be in serious danger, raising the stakes for the final section of the novel.

Study Questions and Answers

Question	Answer
1. Why does Polly feel guilty about her response to Josephine on the street?	Polly minimized Josephine’s distress by telling her "you’ll be fine." She later recognizes that such platitudes are useless and insulting, especially coming from a trusted teacher.
2. How does Lou’s story about Emily connect to the chapter’s themes?	Lou reveals that Mark’s sister-in-law Emily also struggled during her first year at Brown and switched schools. This shows that even the most capable young people can have hidden crises, and it offers a potential avenue for helping Josephine.
3. What is Polly’s internal conflict regarding Barbara Burton’s comment about Sarah?	Polly cannot decide whether to tell Sarah that Barbara implied she might be ill. She is paralyzed by fear of casting "a long shadow" over Sarah’s happiness and by doubt about the validity of Barbara’s "healing vibrations."