Chapter 32 Summary and Analysis: Breaking the Curse

⚠️ 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

Daisy lies awake in her sweltering apartment, replaying the unfinished conversation with Elliot and growing increasingly stirred by his confession of similar feelings. To distract herself, she opens her great-aunt Daisy’s diary. Entries from 1925–1926 reveal Aunt Daisy’s passionate romance with Nate, her fear of marriage, a hurtful argument, and his hasty engagement to another woman. Nate’s bride later runs away, and Aunt Daisy believes she is cursed. Furious and frustrated, Daisy realizes the pattern of allowing fear to ruin happiness. She rises with a new determination: to be brave enough for both herself and her aunt, and to finally break the curse.

Key Events

Daisy is too hot to sleep; humidity and storm build outside.
She obsesses over her earlier confession to Elliot and his admission that he thinks of her the same way.
She reads her great-aunt’s diary entries: October 10, 1925 (Nate’s intimate kiss); October 22 (Nate wants her as fiancée, she feels paralyzed); October 23 (a fight after she admits past love; Nate says he’ll find someone else); January 8, 1926 (Nate is engaged to another); February 21 (Nate marries, Daisy is sick with grief); May 1, 1926 (Nate’s bride has run off, both feel cursed).
Daisy shouts at the diary in frustration.
The storm finally breaks with rain.
Daisy tears off her sheets, fired up, and declares she must end the curse by being brave.

Character Development

Daisy moves from restless desire and embarrassment to a decisive, almost angry resolve. She sees her own fear mirrored in Aunt Daisy’s history and chooses not to repeat the cycle. This chapter marks her first active decision to confront the “curse” head-on, shifting from passive longing to determined action. Great-Aunt Daisy (through diary) emerges as a cautionary parallel: a woman undone by fear of commitment and mistrust, whose regrets echo through the decades. Her repeated self-blame (“I cursed myself”) becomes the catalyst for the present-day Daisy’s rebellion.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

The Curse of Fear: The “curse” is not supernatural but a self-inflicted pattern of letting anxiety and past hurt prevent happiness. Daisy decides to break it by choosing courage.
Heat and Storm: The oppressive humidity and thunder reflect Daisy’s internal turmoil and sexual tension. The arrival of rain coincides with her epiphany and emotional release.
Legacy and Repetition: The diary shows history repeating. Daisy’s awareness of this pattern gives her the power to change it.
Intimacy and Vulnerability: Both Daisy’s present fantasy about Elliot and Aunt Daisy’s diary entries underscore the risk of emotional and physical closeness.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 32 is the turning point for Daisy’s inner conflict. It crystallizes her central obstacle – fear of being hurt – and provides the motivation to overcome it. The diary serves as a mirror, forcing her to recognize that inaction leads to regret. This resolution sets the stage for the climactic decisions in the final chapters.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How do the diary entries influence Daisy’s state of mind by the end of the chapter?
Answer: The entries show Aunt Daisy’s parallel fear and the tragic outcome of letting that fear control her. Daisy becomes angry at the pattern and shifts from frustrated longing to a firm resolve to act bravely, refusing to let the same curse ruin her chance with Elliot.

2. What role does the weather play in this chapter?
Answer: The building heat and humidity mirror Daisy’s desire and restlessness. The storm that finally breaks, along with the rain, provides a release and coincides with her decision to take action. The weather emphasizes the tension and catharsis.

3. In what way does Daisy plan to be “brave enough for both of them”?
Answer: Daisy intends to break the curse of fear that has haunted both her great-aunt and herself. This likely means she will confront Elliot honestly and not let her past hurt or anxiety prevent her from pursuing a relationship, thus redeeming Aunt Daisy’s regrets as well.