Chapter 35: Leah — 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
Leah enters the main deck from the rear chamber and finds Matteo sitting in a circle of torches, staring at the windows. She tries to ask how long she slept, but he doesn't acknowledge her. She offers to make coffee, but he remains silent. She comments on his posture, but he still doesn't respond. Leah reflects on how cramped conditions have changed their bodies, and she sometimes sees herself distorted in the windows. She feels a surge of rage, unsure if it's about Matteo's silence or everything they've endured. She thinks of Miri and desperately wants a hug. She asks how they will ever explain what happened, meaning Jelka. Matteo finally moves, gestures for her to join him inside the circle. She sits beside him, and they remain quietly for a long time before getting up and resuming their routine.
Key Events
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Leah finds Matteo in his torch circle.
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She attempts conversation, but he ignores her.
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She reflects on physical changes and distorted self-image.
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She feels rage and longing for Miri.
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She asks about explaining Jelka.
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Matteo invites her into the circle.
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They sit together silently, then resume.
Character Development
Leah's internal state is marked by grief, isolation, and a desperate need for connection. She struggles to articulate her trauma, as shown by her failed imagined explanation to Miri. Matteo's silent grief is evident, but his gesture of inviting Leah into the circle shows a small step toward shared comfort. Their cohabitation has become empty, but this moment offers a brief respite.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
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Isolation and silence: The chapter is dominated by silence and the breakdown of verbal communication. Leah's attempts to speak are met with nothing, and the two characters exist in a shared but separate space.
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Grief and trauma: The loss of Jelka hangs over them, and Leah's inability to imagine explaining it to Miri underscores the depth of her trauma.
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Distorted self-perception: Leah's reflection in the windows appears bent and unrecognizable, mirroring her psychological state.
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Longing for connection: Leah's desperate wish for a hug from Miri highlights her need for physical and emotional comfort.
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Ritual as comfort: Matteo's circle of torches serves as a ritual that provides a semblance of order or meaning, and Leah eventually joins him in it.
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Silent companionship: The final image of them sitting together without words suggests that presence alone can be a form of comfort.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter captures the emotional toll of the underwater mission and the breakdown of communication between the two survivors. It highlights the difficulty of processing trauma and the small, non-verbal gestures that can provide comfort. It also deepens Leah's character and her longing for Miri, setting up future emotional stakes.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does Leah's perception of her body reflect her psychological state?
Answer: Leah sees herself as compressed and distorted by pressure, bent double, and unrecognizable. This mirrors her internal feeling of being crushed and losing her sense of self due to the trauma and isolation. The fact that the distortion sometimes doesn't correct itself suggests her mental state is deteriorating.
2. What role does the circle of torches play in Matteo's behavior and their interaction?
Answer: The circle seems to be a ritual Matteo has created for comfort or focus. Leah initially wants to kick a torch to break the charm he imagines it casts, but later accepts his invitation to sit inside, indicating a willingness to share in his ritual as a form of silent companionship.
3. Why does Leah's imagined explanation to Miri fail, and what does that reveal about her trauma?
Answer: When Leah tries to picture explaining everything to Miri, the imaginary scene fails: she produces only a strange, whaling ocean sound and Miri cannot understand. This reveals that Leah's trauma is so profound and inexpressible that she cannot even articulate it to herself, let alone to someone else, highlighting the theme of the inability to articulate trauma.
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