The Boyfriend Chapter 24 (Chapter 23) Summary & 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
The chapter is a flashback from Tom's perspective before the present timeline. It has been a week since Brandi Healey's murder, and no arrests have been made. Chief Driscoll continues to question students, including Brandi's close friends and a boy called Slug, but has not summoned Tom again. Instead, the chief asks Tom to escort his daughter Daisy home from school each day. Tom enjoys these walks and finds Daisy endearing. In biology lab, Tom and his partner Alison dissect a fetal pig. Alison is cold and hostile, refusing to participate and making snide remarks about Tom's enjoyment of the dissection. Tom does all the work. After class, Alison grabs his arm and insists they need to talk now.
Key Events
- A week after Brandi's murder, police still have no suspect.
- Chief Driscoll questions several students but not Tom; however, he asks Tom to walk Daisy home daily.
- Tom looks forward to the walks and notices Daisy's habits (e.g., sticking out her tongue while reading).
- In biology lab, Tom and Alison dissect a fetal pig; Tom is excited, Alison is distant.
- Alison refuses to handle the scalpel and tells the teacher Tom did all the work.
- Tom snaps at Alison after her repeated comments.
- As class ends, Alison stops Tom and demands an urgent conversation.
Character Development
- Tom: Continues to present a helpful, normal exterior (tutoring, escorting Daisy). His enthusiasm for dissection hints at a darker fascination. He becomes increasingly annoyed by Alison's judgment, showing a short temper when challenged.
- Alison: Her hostility toward Tom has escalated since Brandi's body was found. She refuses to engage in lab work, verbally undermining Tom. Her final demand to talk suggests she may have discovered something incriminating.
- Daisy: Remains a symbol of innocence; her quirky habit (sticking out tongue) humanizes her and deepens Tom's attachment.
- Chief Driscoll: Shows poor judgment by entrusting his daughter's safety to Tom, unaware of the potential danger.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Dissection as power/violence: Tom's enjoyment of cutting open the fetal pig mirrors a potential comfort with violence. Alison's comment "You always do" implies a pattern of Tom taking control in destructive ways.
- Perception versus reality: Tom sees himself as helpful and wronged, but the reader senses his unreliable narration. Alison sees through his facade.
- Trust and suspicion: The chief's trust in Tom contrasts with Alison's suspicion, creating dramatic irony.
- Isolation: Tom feels alienated from Alison and the investigation, but his focus on Daisy suggests a need to control a relationship.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter builds tension by showing the growing rift between Tom and Alison, who may hold key information. The dissection scene foreshadows Tom's potential capacity for harm, and the cliffhanger — Alison wanting to talk "now" — raises stakes heading into the next chapter. It also reinforces the theme of appearances: Tom seems like the helpful student, yet the evidence suggests otherwise.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Alison refuse to participate in the dissection, and what does her behavior suggest about her view of Tom?
Alison refuses because she believes Tom enjoys the work too much, and she wants to distance herself from him. Her behavior indicates she sees Tom as someone with a disturbing fascination with cutting and death, and she no longer wishes to enable or associate with him.
2. What is the significance of Chief Driscoll asking Tom to walk Daisy home?
It highlights the chief's misplaced trust and Tom's ability to manipulate his image. The arrangement puts Tom in close contact with the chief's daughter, raising dramatic irony because the reader (and Alison) may suspect Tom's involvement in Brandi's murder.
3. How does the dissection lab scene function as a metaphor in the chapter?
The dissection symbolizes Tom's willingness to dissect and control living things. His mastery of the scalpel and organs mirrors a lack of empathy, while Alison's refusal to touch the pig suggests her moral revulsion. The scene foreshadows Tom's potential to harm others physically and emotionally.