Chapter summaries The Margaret Atwood 4-Book Bundle Margaret Atwood

Chapter 57: Xanadu - 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

In the present, Iris dreams she is wearing her old Xanadu costume as an old woman in the ruined conservatory at Avilion, surrounded by dead plants and a tipped sphinx. She wakes feeling desolate. The chapter flashes back to autumn 1935: Richard and Winifred conspire to cover up Laura's "little escapade" by providing a false alibi through the Newton-Dobbses. Richard threatens to send Laura to a clinic if she continues to rebel, and he sends her to St. Cecilia's school. Winifred organizes the Downtown Foundlings' Crèche charity ball with a "Xanadu" theme based on Coleridge's poem. Laura becomes obsessed with the poem, questioning its images and meaning. While Iris tries on her Abyssinian Maid costume, Laura reveals she saw Alex Thomas on the street near their house. Iris warns Laura against her feelings for Alex, but Laura scoffs at Iris's understanding of unhappiness.

Key Events

  • Iris dreams of herself as an old woman in her Xanadu costume at Avilion.
  • Richard and Winifred cover up Laura's escapade with a false alibi.
  • Richard threatens Laura with a clinic if she continues to defy him.
  • Laura is sent to St. Cecilia's school and resents it.
  • Winifred plans the Xanadu-themed charity ball, dominating the committee.
  • Laura repeatedly reads and questions Coleridge's "Kubla Khan."
  • Iris tries on her costume and discusses the poem with Laura.
  • Laura reports seeing Alex Thomas on their street.
  • Iris advises Laura to get over her "crush" on Alex; Laura retorts that Iris knows nothing about unhappiness.

Character Development

  • Iris: The older narrator is haunted by dreams that emphasize her age and isolation. In the flashback, she is submissive to Richard and Winifred, aware of her own powerlessness. Her attempts to protect Laura are weak; she feels complicit in the family's repression.
  • Laura: Rebellious and intellectually curious, she challenges Richard's authority and questions the world. Her interest in "Kubla Khan" reveals a mind drawn to mystery and the fear of being too happy. She remains fixated on Alex Thomas, showing her capacity for intense feeling.
  • Richard: Controlling and cruel, he uses threats of institutionalization to maintain dominance. His bulging eyes and calm tone emphasize his menace. He aligns with Winifred against Iris.
  • Winifred: Manipulative and socially ambitious, she orchestrates the ball and the cover-up. She positions herself as Richard's essential partner, sidelining Iris.

Themes, Symbols, and Motifs

  • Performance and Disguise: Costumes (the Xanadu ball) allow people to pretend to be someone else. Iris's dream undercuts this: the costume does not hide her age. The poem itself is a performance of exoticism.
  • Repression and Control: Richard and Winifred control Laura's actions and reputation through threats and social maneuvering. The "clinic" is a symbol of ultimate control over rebellious women.
  • The Meaning of Art: Laura's questions about "Kubla Khan" show poetry as a site of multiple interpretations. The poem's "demon-lover" and "honey-dew" become metaphors for forbidden happiness and the fear of being different.
  • Memory and Aging: Iris's present-day voice contrasts with the past, highlighting how the past haunts the present. The ruined conservatory represents lost beauty and decay.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens the mystery of Alex Thomas—he is alive, in hiding, and watching the family. It also solidifies the oppressive dynamics within the Chase family. Laura's engagement with the poem prefigures her own tragic fate. The Xanadu ball becomes a symbol of the glittering surface that conceals pain, and Iris's dream signals that she cannot escape her past.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does Iris dream of being an old woman in her Xanadu costume at Avilion? What does this reveal about her state of mind?
    Answer: The dream confronts Iris with the gap between her youthful costume and her aging body, emphasizing her feelings of irrelevance and abandonment. The ruined conservatory and defaced sphinx reflect the decay of her former life. She wakes "desolate," suggesting unresolved guilt and sorrow over the past.

  2. How does Laura's interpretation of "Kubla Khan" differ from conventional readings? What does her focus on the "demon-lover" and the fear of happiness suggest about her character?
    Answer: Laura detects a note of fear in the poem: the "ancestral voices prophesying war" and the warning "Beware!" She argues that people are afraid of the man because "he's too happy." This reveals Laura's sensitivity to social repression and her own fear that authentic joy attracts punishment. It aligns with her defiant but vulnerable personality.

  3. What role does Winifred play in this chapter? How does she manipulate both Iris and the social scene?
    Answer: Winifred acts as the family's strategist and social gatekeeper. She suggests the cover-up, advises Richard to take a firm hand, and organizes the ball to enhance Richard's political prospects. She keeps Iris busy with menial tasks while asserting her own importance as "the woman standing behind him." Her control is comprehensive and casual.

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