Chapter 9 Summary: Desperation, Dark Humor, and a Serious Consideration of Cannibalism

⚠️ 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 with the campers returning from the field trip. The narrator, Riley, has hidden her purchases at the bottom of her bag, but she quickly realizes she isn't the only one who broke the rules. Torres slips a tube of lip gloss to Delaney, and even Cindy, the model counselor, is wearing a new silver charm bracelet she didn't have that morning. Riley observes this hypocrisy with bitter amusement, noting that the camp's message about ignoring material gain is already failing.

At lunch, Pastor Young stands in the kitchen wearing his familiar “Grill, Pray, Love” apron. The sight triggers a wave of nostalgia in Riley, reminding her of the Super Bowl parties she and her sister Hannah used to attend at the Youngs' house. She reflects on how Pastor Young once felt like a second father, but that trust shattered after she came out and after Hannah's return from Cleveland. She contrasts him with her own father, who bought a rainbow shirt and sat with Hannah for hours, reading to her so she wouldn't be alone. Riley hates that she still feels a pang of guilt about her plan to destroy Pastor Young's life.

As campers eat, they discuss the morning's assignment on showing generosity. Delaney brags about letting someone go ahead in a Walmart checkout line, while Torres spent half an hour chasing carts. Ben, who never seems to do homework, claims he did the same checkout thing, and Delaney plays along. Riley is frustrated by Ben's effortless charm and academic luck. She notices Julia sitting beside her, but instead of working on the assignment, Julia has her prayer book open in her lap. Riley catches a glimpse of a butterfly sticker on the back cover before Julia snaps it shut, blushing as if caught doing something intimate. Riley recognizes the careful way Julia guards her writing—the same way Riley has been making notes about Pastor Young all week—and wonders what Julia could be hiding.

The next morning, the campers wake to their obnoxious alarm song. Greer slams the power button and groans, “Fuck Mike Fratt,” loud enough for the whole cabin to hear. Delaney bursts out laughing, and Riley has to bite her lip to keep from joining in. Despite the rough start, Riley feels optimistic as she walks to breakfast with Julia. She reflects on their physical closeness—the way Julia drapes her arm over her shoulders, the way they lie together on the same mattress—and wonders what it would mean in a perfect world.

But when they reach the cafeteria, there is no food. Pastor Young announces a day of fasting to teach temperance, framing it as a chance to gain control over earthly desires. Riley is furious, and her good mood evaporates. Greer sits down next to Julia and whispers that the seniors keep snacks hidden, offering to share during lunch. Riley is uncomfortable with the idea of sitting in the cabin with Greer and Amanda, and the tension between her and Greer boils over. Greer accuses Riley of playing the victim, and Riley fires back about Greer and her friends talking shit about Hannah all semester. The argument escalates until Riley storms out of the cafeteria, ignoring Julia's calls and Gabe's outstretched hand.

Riley ends up in the girls' locker room, gripping the sink and telling herself not to cry. She reflects on her role as Hannah's rock—the one who held it together when Hannah came back from Cleveland, who helped her with homework and found her a therapist, who never let herself fall apart. She hasn't cried since Christmas break, and she's determined not to start now. But the loneliness is overwhelming, and she wonders if Greer is right, if she's been alone longer than she thought.

Her solitude is interrupted by footsteps. Riley hides in a stall as someone else enters the locker room, also crying. Through the gap under the door, she spots the person's shoes: pristine white sneakers with lacy ankle socks stamped with tiny pink sugarplums. Riley recognizes them instantly—they belong to Amanda, the girl from Hannah's dance studio who played the Sugar Plum Fairy, the same girl who landed Riley in this camp in the first place. Amanda leaves without noticing Riley, and Riley is left wondering what someone like Amanda Clarke could possibly have to cry about.

Key Events

Contraband exchange: Campers secretly share lip gloss, eyeshadow palettes, and a charm bracelet after the field trip, exposing the camp's hypocrisy about materialism.
The generosity assignment: Campers discuss how they “showed generosity” in the community, with most of them fabricating or exaggerating their good deeds.
Julia's secret writing: Riley catches Julia guarding her prayer book, writing something private she doesn't want anyone to see.
The fasting announcement: Pastor Young declares a day of fasting to teach temperance, leaving the campers hungry and resentful.
Greer's offer: Greer tells Julia that senior campers keep hidden snacks and offers to share during lunch.
The argument: Riley and Greer clash over Amanda and Hannah, and Riley storms out of the cafeteria.
The locker room encounter: Riley hides in a stall and discovers Amanda crying, recognizing her by her distinctive socks.

Character Development

Riley is at her most vulnerable in this chapter. Her usual sarcasm and defiance crack as she confronts her grief over Hannah and her complicated feelings about Pastor Young. She reflects on her role as Hannah's rock, revealing that she has suppressed her own emotions to support her sister. Her outburst at Greer shows how much pent-up frustration she's been carrying, and her decision to hide in the locker room rather than face her feelings highlights her emotional isolation.

Julia remains a source of warmth and mystery. Her physical closeness with Riley is emphasized, but her secretive behavior with the prayer book adds a layer of intrigue. Riley's observation that Julia guards her writing the same way Riley does suggests a parallel between them, hinting that Julia may have her own hidden struggles.

Greer is revealed to be more complex than a simple antagonist. Her offer to share snacks with Julia shows a capacity for kindness, but her dismissive attitude toward Riley's pain reveals her lack of empathy. The argument between them exposes the deep wounds on both sides.

Amanda appears only briefly, but her presence is significant. Her tears complicate Riley's perception of her as a villain, suggesting that she, too, is struggling with something hidden.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Hypocrisy and performance of virtue: The campers' contraband items and fabricated generosity assignments expose the gap between the camp's teachings and the campers' actual behavior.
Secrecy and hidden emotions: Julia's guarded prayer book, Riley's hidden purchases, and Amanda's private tears all point to the theme of suppressed feelings and the difficulty of being honest about one's inner life.
Family loyalty and grief: Riley's reflections on Hannah reveal the depth of her loyalty and the weight of her grief. Her role as Hannah's rock has forced her to bury her own pain.
Temperance vs. gluttony: The fasting day is framed as a lesson in temperance, but Riley sees it as a cruel exercise in control. The contrast between the camp's rhetoric and its methods highlights the theme of moral ambiguity.
Nostalgia and loss of faith: Riley's memories of the Super Bowl parties and Pastor Young's apron evoke a sense of lost innocence and the painful realization that the people she trusted are not who she thought they were.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens Riley's internal conflict and reveals the emotional stakes beneath her sarcastic exterior. Her argument with Greer and her subsequent breakdown in the locker room show that her anger isn't just about the camp—it's about her unresolved grief over Hannah and her sense of isolation. The introduction of Amanda as a crying, vulnerable figure complicates the narrative, suggesting that the people Riley blames may have their own hidden pain. The chapter also strengthens the bond between Riley and Julia while introducing a mystery around Julia's prayer book, setting up future revelations.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Riley react so strongly to Greer's comment about Amanda?

Riley's outburst is the result of months of pent-up frustration. She has been suppressing her anger and grief over Hannah's situation, and Greer's dismissive comment about Amanda being the victim triggers a release of all that emotion. Riley feels that Greer and her friends have been talking about Hannah all semester, and she can no longer hold back.

2. What does the fasting day reveal about the camp's methods?

The fasting day is framed as a lesson in temperance, but it functions as a form of control and punishment. Pastor Young presents it as a spiritual exercise, but Riley sees it as a cruel deprivation designed to teach obedience. The campers' secret snacks and contraband items show that they resist this control in small ways.

3. Why is Riley so surprised to find Amanda crying?

Riley has built Amanda up as a villain—the girl who got her sent to camp and who represents everything she resents about Pleasant Hills. Seeing Amanda vulnerable and crying challenges that narrative, forcing Riley to consider that Amanda might have her own struggles and hidden pain.