The Staff Dormitory: Class, Community, and Renewal in Summers at the Saint
What Is the Staff Dormitory?
The staff dormitory is a purpose-built employee housing complex created by converting an old golf cart barn on the grounds of the Saint Cecelia resort. In the novel, Traci Eddings spearheads the renovation to attract and retain workers during a tight labor market. The dormitory contains private bedrooms (each with a brass nameplate), communal spaces such as a lounge, kitchen, and laundry area, and is furnished with modern amenities like premium cable and Wi‑Fi. It is first conceived in Chapter 1 as an “expensive experiment” to solve the resort’s staffing crisis, built over several chapters, and officially opened for move‑in in Chapter 16.
Where the Dormitory Appears and How Its Meaning Changes
1. A Pragmatic Solution and Symbol of Traci’s Vision
In Chapter 1, Traci proposes the dormitory after her general manager, Charlie Burroughs, warns that two key employees have left and that high rents prevent workers from relocating. Traci’s idea directly addresses the housing shortage that has made it impossible for the resort to compete. The dormitory is initially a practical business move, but it also carries a deeper symbolic weight: Traci wants to replace the old, racially segregated “staff quarters” of her own youth with a clean, integrated, and respectful living environment. In Chapter 7, she recalls the “dumpy dorm” she lived in at age nineteen — a “long, narrow wood‑frame building in a swampy corner” with no air conditioning and barely enough space for a bed. More tellingly, she learns from foreman Javi Guerrero that the old dorm was for white workers only; Black and Latino employees had to find housing in town. Traci is horrified that she never questioned this at the time. The new dormitory thus becomes her attempt to break with the resort’s racist past and to create a genuine community across class lines.
2. A Microcosm of the Resort’s Workforce
On move‑in day (Chapter 16), the dormitory brings together a cross‑section of Saint employees: Felice Bonpierre, the new chef; Olivia (Livvy) Grayson, the guest‑relations trainee; Garrett, the headwaiter; KJ Parkhurst, the spoiled son of a business associate; and Parrish Eddings, Traci’s niece. Traci’s welcome speech emphasizes respect, shared cleaning duties, and a strict no‑drugs, no‑harassment policy — rules designed to make the “experiment” work. The dormitory becomes a lived space where class tensions play out. For example, Garrett, a long‑time local employee, views the dorm as a huge perk, while KJ, who has a family cottage nearby, is forced there by his father as a “taste of real life.” Livvy’s mother, Shannon, refuses to set foot near the Saint and expresses deep unease about her daughter moving in, hinting at family secrets that later surface.
3. A Site of Danger and Arson
Later in the novel, the dormitory is the target of an arson attack that nearly kills Felice and Livvy. Although the specific arson chapter is not included in the provided excerpts, the novel’s context makes clear that the same space that represented hope and opportunity becomes a site of violence and near‑death. The attack is a direct consequence of the larger Eddings family feud and Madelyn’s schemes, making the dormitory a catalyst for the story’s climax. In the aftermath, the characters are forced to confront grief, loss, and the need for justice.
4. A Symbol of Renewal
In the Epilogue, set one year later, Traci and her new husband Whelan tour the property and observe “new employee housing” under construction — six additional units that are part of a permanent solution. The old dormitory, though damaged, has been rebuilt and expanded. The epilogue shows Felice, now dating the EMT who saved her, still living temporarily in Whelan’s old apartment while waiting for her own new unit. Livvy, now co‑owner of the Saint, delivers a sunset toast marking her official role. The dormitory’s evolution from an improvised barn conversion to a planned housing complex mirrors the resort’s broader renewal after the scandal and trauma.
Character and Theme Connections
Characters
- Traci Eddings: The dormitory is her project from start to finish. She personally supervises the renovation, hires the residents, and later witnesses its destruction. For Traci, the dormitory represents both her grief over Hoke’s death and her determination to modernize the Saint. It also forces her to confront her own privileged position as owner and her memories of being an “Ain’t.”
- Felice Bonpierre: She is the first person to move in, carrying only a duffel bag and a pillowcase of laundry. The dormitory gives her a stable base from which to rebuild her life. After the arson, she survives and eventually dates Dave, the EMT, suggesting personal growth.
- Olivia (Livvy) Grayson: Moving into the dormitory is a direct act of defiance against her mother Shannon, who is terrified of the Saint. Livvy’s experience there — including the arson — matures her and prepares her for her later role as co‑owner.
- Garrett: He accepts the dormitory housing as part of a retention package that includes a promotion to headwaiter. His story highlights the economic pressures on hospitality workers.
- KJ Parkhurst: Forced to live there by his father, Ric, as a power move against Traci. He represents the entitled wealthy class intruding on the employees’ space.
- Shannon Grayson: Her refusal to visit the dormitory and her warning to Livvy (“I can’t pretend when it comes to those people. That place.”) underscore the family secrets and the class divide that the dormitory is meant to bridge.
Themes
- Class Divide and Social Hierarchy: The dormitory exists because workers cannot afford to live near the resort. Traci’s childhood memory of being an “Ain’t” and the old segregated dorm reveal the deep‑rooted class system. The new dormitory attempts to create equality but cannot erase the underlying tensions.
- Family Secrets and Cover‑Ups: Shannon’s secret about Livvy’s paternity and her non‑disclosure agreement are directly tied to her fear of the Saint. The dormitory, as a place where Livvy becomes involved with the Eddings family, brings those secrets to light.
- Mother‑Daughter Relationships: Livvy’s move‑in sparks a painful separation from Shannon. Traci’s relationship with her niece Parrish also plays out in the dormitory, as Parrish tries to balance family loyalty with her own ambitions.
- Grief and Resilience: Traci carries the grief of Hoke’s death into every decision about the dormitory. The arson attack forces Felice, Livvy, and others to rebuild their lives. The Epilogue shows that resilience pays off: Felice is thriving, Livvy is confident, and new housing is being built.
- Justice and Accountability: The arson is eventually traced to Madelyn’s conspiracy. The dormitory, where the attack occurred, becomes a symbol of the need for justice. In the Epilogue, Madelyn is on trial, and the characters have moved forward, leaving the past behind while ensuring accountability.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does Traci’s personal history with the old staff dorm influence her vision for the renovated golf cart barn?
Answer: Traci lived in the Saint’s old staff quarters when she was nineteen — a cramped, stifling room with no closet and only a box fan for cooling. More importantly, foreman Javi Guerrero reveals that the old dorm was racially segregated: “Old man Eddings didn’t want the white kids mixing with the Blacks and the wetbacks.” Traci is shocked she never noticed this at the time. Her new dormitory is designed to be inclusive, with equal responsibilities for all residents, regardless of background. She even warns the male residents not to shirk their cleaning duties, implicitly correcting the gender and racial inequities of the past.
2. What role does the dormitory play in the novel’s exploration of class divides?
Answer: The dormitory is a direct response to the economic reality that local workers cannot afford to live in the resort community. Traci offers free housing as a recruitment incentive, leveling the playing field between employees like Garrett (who was paying his sister a hundred dollars a week for a single room) and wealthy guests who stay in the hotel. Yet the dormitory also highlights class friction: KJ Parkhurst, the son of a business associate, is forced to live there against his will, while Garrett and Felice see it as a lifeline. The arson attack, which targets employees rather than guests, underscores that the class divide has not been erased, only shifted.
3. How does the dormitory’s destruction by fire change the characters who live there?
Answer: The arson nearly kills Felice and Livvy. For Felice, it is a trauma that she overcomes by taking up running and losing thirty pounds, and it leads her to date Dave, the EMT who rescued her. For Livvy, the event fills her with “large memory gaps” but ultimately steels her resolve to step into her role as co‑owner. For Traci, the fire forces her to confront the violence simmering within her own family. In the Epilogue, the new housing units are a sign that the community has healed and rebuilt stronger than before.
4. In what ways does the dormitory serve as a symbol of renewal at the end of the novel?
Answer: In the Epilogue, Traci and Whelan tour the property and see “the first six staff housing units” nearing completion — a permanent replacement for the converted barn. Felice, although still in temporary housing, is about to move into her own new apartment. Livvy, once a frightened intern, confidently leads a sunset ceremony as co‑owner. Traci, now pregnant and married, reflects on the “new beginnings” as she and Whelan prepare to assemble a crib. The dormitory has evolved from a makeshift experiment into a lasting foundation for the Saint’s future, embodying renewal, community, and hope.