Strangers in Time: Chapter 32 – Father Wakefield 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 (Complete and Chronological)

Mrs. Pride reveals to Molly that Father Wakefield left the house exactly six months ago. He told Mrs. Pride only that he was going away, gave her a sealed note for Molly, and walked out into the rain. Mrs. Pride admits she placed that note on Molly’s bed the morning Molly returned, and she deliberately pretended not to recognize Molly at the door. She kept the disappearance secret for six months because Father Wakefield made her promise not to burden Molly, and she feared losing her position if she reported it to the police amid wartime London’s chaos. Mrs. Pride also explains that Father Wakefield was profoundly changed by the traumatic event that destroyed Molly’s mother. He became bitter, blamed himself, and lost faith in England, the police, and the medical system that failed his wife. Molly feels guilty for having thought unkindly of her father. She asks whether she can live alone at nearly sixteen and requests to see the letters about her mother. Mrs. Pride fetches the first letter from Cornwall. Molly resolves to write to the doctors for a clearer picture. After the conversation, she retreats upstairs, locks her door, and cries into her pillows, overwhelmed.

Key Events

• Mrs. Pride confesses that Father Wakefield left six months ago.
• She admits she placed his farewell note on Molly’s bed and pretended not to recognize her.
• Mrs. Pride explains her reasons: loyalty to Father Wakefield, fear of losing her home, and the reality of war.
• Molly learns that her father was devastated by the night’s event, blaming himself and losing trust in institutions.
• Molly feels guilty for resenting her father without knowing the truth.
• Molly asks about living alone as a minor and requests the letters from Cornwall about her mother.
• Mrs. Pride gives her the first letter; Molly vows to write for more information.
• Molly breaks down in private, crying alone on her bed.

Character Development

• Molly: Comes across as more mature and composed during the conversation, but her emotional fragility surfaces when she is alone. She shifts from anger at her father to guilt and compassion, showing a growing ability to see other people’s pain.
• Mrs. Pride: Previously evasive, now reveals her loyalty, fear, and difficult choices. Her confession humanizes her as a woman torn between duty to her employer and concern for Molly.
• Father Wakefield: Though absent, his character is deepened through Mrs. Pride’s account. He is depicted as a broken man, overwhelmed by guilt and a sense of betrayal from his country and its institutions.
• Molly’s Mother: Remains a shadowy figure, but the trauma she suffered is the key to understanding both her own condition and Father Wakefield’s transformation.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

• Secrecy and Deception: Mrs. Pride’s withholding of the truth, the hidden letters, and the false note illustrate how secrets can fester and complicate relationships.
• Guilt and Blame: Father Wakefield’s self-blame and Molly’s subsequent guilt highlight how traumatic events can lead to misplaced responsibility.
• Loss of Faith in Institutions: Mrs. Pride’s description of Father Wakefield’s rant shows his shattered trust in England, the police, and medicine, reflecting a broader disillusionment with systems that fail individuals.
• Abandonment and Isolation: Molly is left without parents; the chapter emphasizes her aloneness and the absence of support structures.
• Coming of Age: Molly must make adult decisions about her living situation and confront painful truths, accelerating her maturity.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 32 is a turning point that resolves the mystery of Father Wakefield’s absence and provides crucial backstory. It deepens the emotional stakes by revealing the trauma that shattered the Wakefield family. The chapter forces Molly to see her father in a new light, setting her on a path toward independence as she takes charge of her own inquiries. It also establishes Mrs. Pride as a flawed but sympathetic figure and reinforces the novel’s themes of wartime upheaval and personal responsibility.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why did Mrs. Pride pretend not to recognize Molly when she arrived?
   Mrs. Pride followed Father Wakefield’s instructions to not burden Molly with his disappearance. She placed his farewell note on Molly’s bed before answering the door, then acted as though she did not know her, hoping to postpone revealing the painful truth.

2. What reasons does Mrs. Pride give for not reporting Father Wakefield’s disappearance to the authorities?
   She cites loyalty to his wish not to inform Molly, her fear of losing her home and position if the authorities became involved, and the normalization of disappearances in wartime London, where hundreds of missing persons ads filled police stations.

3. How does learning the truth about her father change Molly’s feelings toward him?
   Molly initially feels anger and resentment, but after hearing how the traumatic event broke him and made him blame himself, she feels immense guilt for her harsh judgment. She now understands his silence as a misguided attempt to protect her, and she regrets not being there to support him.

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