Chapter 115: The Signal Can Happen Now – 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
Grace opens her eyes on the beach. She sees Sofía confronting Art, who is distressed but about to harm her. Alberto tells Grace she is now strong enough to send a signal; she recalls the story of Joan Bonanova, a fisherman who once summoned every animal on Ibiza. The sea glows with an impossible blue light, and Grace feels connected to all life. She sends a mental call for help. Birds—cormorants, falcons, flamingos—fill the sky. Goats, snakes, lobsters, rabbits, and insects converge on Art. He fights back, killing a cormorant and stamping on creatures, but a Montpellier snake bites him, releasing the light of La Presencia from his body. Art wades into the sea trying to reclaim the light, but a Portuguese man o’ war jellyfish stings him fatally. He collapses and dies. The animals retreat; La Presencia’s glow fades to a dim pulse above Es Vedrà. Nostradamus the goat stares at Art’s body before walking away.
Key Events
- Grace wakes as the tide laps at her hair and sees Sofía confronting Art.
- Alberto explains that Grace is now strong enough to send the signal; she remembers Joan Bonanova’s story.
- The sea glows bright blue from the beach to Es Vedrà.
- Grace feels her consciousness expand into all living things and sends a mental signal.
- A massive flock of birds, including cormorants and flamingos, flies toward Art.
- Land animals—Nostradamus the goat, snakes, lobsters, rabbits, geckos—converge on the beach.
- Art kills a cormorant and kicks a rabbit, shouting for things to die.
- A Montpellier snake bites Art, releasing La Presencia’s light from his body.
- Art drinks seawater trying to recapture the light; a Portuguese man o’ war stings him.
- Art collapses face down in the water; Grace and Alberto try to resuscitate him but fail.
- All animals disperse; the ocean’s glow retreats to Es Vedrà; Nostradamus leaves.
Character Development
- Grace: Undergoes a profound transformation. She transcends her individual self and experiences unity with all life, gaining the power to communicate with animals. Her grief and pain no longer imprison her, allowing her to act selflessly to protect Sofía.
- Art: Reveals his true nature when cornered. He shifts from a veneer of control to desperate cruelty (breaking a bird’s neck, stomping insects) and ultimately tries to reclaim La Presencia’s light by drinking seawater. His dying words, “I was better,” hint at regret or a lost opportunity for change, but he remains a threat until his death.
- Sofía: Demonstrates courage by confronting Art to protect Grace. She speaks with confidence, calling Art’s actions a mistake—a moment of growth from observer to active defender.
- Alberto: Serves as a guide, reminding Grace of Joan Bonanova’s story and encouraging her to use her newfound power. He later attempts CPR on Art, showing compassion even toward an enemy.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Interconnectedness: Grace experiences her consciousness as “we,” merged with every creature and element. The signal requires her to realize there are no lines between self and other.
- Nature as Justice: The animals act as agents of retribution, surrounding Art and ultimately killing him via a jellyfish. Nature itself reclaims the stolen light of La Presencia.
- Light and Darkness: La Presencia’s glow represents hope and life; it fades from Art’s body after the snake bite, symbolizing the loss of his corrupted connection to the island’s power. The light retreats to Es Vedrà, awaiting its next intervention.
- Sacrifice and Protection: Grace sends the signal not to save herself but to prevent Art from harming Sofía. She later tries to save Art, refusing to become a cause of further death.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter delivers the climax of Grace’s personal arc: she evolves from a grieving, isolated woman into a being capable of wielding immense, life-giving power. It also resolves the central conflict with Art, who dies not by Grace’s hand but through the collective force of the natural world he tried to exploit. The chapter reinforces the novel’s core message that humanity is part of an interconnected web, and that true power lies in cooperation, not domination. The animal army sequence is both fantastical and thematically resonant, blending magical realism with ecological urgency.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does Grace’s perception of self change before she sends the signal?
Grace describes feeling “wide, wide open”—no lines between herself and others, humans and animals, or animals and plants. She realizes she is “the sum of infinities” and that the isolated fortress of her individual self no longer exists. This unity allows her to reach every creature.
2. Why does Art react with violence to the animal attack?
Art panics because he recognizes the scene from his childhood: La Presencia once saved him on this same beach. He cannot accept that the island’s power is now turned against him. His commands to “die” reflect a need to assert control, contrasting with the collective harmony of the animals.
3. What is the significance of the Portuguese man o’ war jellyfish appearing in the water?
The jellyfish had not been seen in Ibiza’s waters for over seven years, emphasizing the unnatural nature of the event. Its venomous sting, delivered by tentacles, is the instrument of Art’s death, showing that even passive sea creatures become part of the island’s justice system when called upon.