Chapter 16: Jess’s Diary – The Art of Dreams and Nightmares
⚠️ 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 her diary entry dated 10 July 1998, Jess describes a weekly emotional cycle: Tuesday brings grief, Wednesday and Thursday feel like being trapped behind glass, and Friday brings a “golden seed” of hope that grows through the weekend. She has been having vivid dreams of a woman named Eliza on a sinking convict ship, and she sleepwalks toward the dam, tying her wrist to her headboard for safety. During an art class with Mr. Hennessey, he asks her to close her eyes and draw whatever she sees. She first sees him, then pushes that image aside and draws Eliza for the first time. Mr. Hennessey asks who the woman is, and Jess reveals the dream, including details of the ship, the cold water, and the screaming women. He suggests using art as catharsis. He also comments on the colour of her scarred skin, comparing it to the inside of a shell, and briefly touches her knuckles. Jess admits she does not tell him that each dream wakes her later and later, and she fears she will one day drown with Eliza and the others.
Key Events
- Jess details her emotional week: grief on Tuesday, numbness midweek, a flicker of hope on Friday.
- She describes a dream where she is the sister of a convict named Eliza on a sinking ship.
- To prevent sleepwalking into the dam, Jess ties her wrist to her headboard with a dressing‑gown cord.
- In art class, Mr. Hennessey asks Jess to close her eyes and draw whatever she sees.
- Jess first pictures Mr. Hennessey, then replaces him with Eliza; she draws her for the first time.
- She tells Mr. Hennessey the dream involves Eliza and a convict ship; he suggests making art about her nightmares.
- Mr. Hennessey comments on Jess’s skin, comparing it to the inside of a shell, and touches her knuckles.
- Jess omits the part where each dream pulls her deeper into the water and she fears she will drown.
Character Development
Jess moves from shame and secrecy to a tentative confession. She has never before verbalised her dreams to anyone. The act of drawing Eliza and speaking about the nightmare marks a turning point: she is willing to let someone see the “wrongness” she carries. Her self‑awareness of the sleepwalking danger shows both vulnerability and a desperate attempt at control.
Mr. Hennessey emerges as more than a teacher. He listens without judgment, proposes a creative outlet, and crosses a professional boundary by touching Jess’s hand. His interest in her dreams and her skin suggests he sees value and beauty where others see a problem to be fixed. This moment strengthens the intimacy between them and foreshadows the complicated relationship that develops.
Eliza, though only a dream figure, gains distinct identity here. Jess names her and provides a backstory—a convict on a sinking ship with her sister. Eliza becomes a recurring symbol of the past haunting Jess.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Water as danger and transformation: The dam, the sinking ship, and the water coursing into Jess’s throat represent a threat of drowning that is both literal and psychological. Water is the medium through which Jess connects to Eliza’s world, but it also pulls her toward self‑destruction.
- Art as catharsis: Mr. Hennessey frames drawing as a way to exorcise nightmares. Jess’s decision to draw Eliza for the first time suggests that giving form to fear can be an act of bravery.
- Orpheus and Eurydice: The painting Mr. Hennessey showed Jess earlier (Carl Goos’s Orpheus and Eurydice) parallels Jess’s relationship with him. She wants to believe he can save her, but the myth warns that rescue may fail. The image of Eurydice falling backwards mirrors Jess’s own backward lean toward the water.
- The “golden seed” and the “burst”: Jess’s weekly cycle of despair and hope is described in organic terms. The seed that grows and then bursts into “a million writhing things” captures the volatility of her emotional state and the consuming nature of her attraction to Mr. Hennessey.
- Scars and beauty: Mr. Hennessey redefines Jess’s scarred skin as shell‑like and beautiful, challenging the shame other adults have imposed. This re‑framing deepens Jess’s attachment to him and complicates the power dynamic.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 16 is the first time Jess reveals the content of her dreams to another character, making it a major milestone in the novel’s supernatural mystery. It also solidifies the romantic and emotional bond between Jess and Mr. Hennessey, setting the stage for the consequences of their relationship. The chapter intensifies the threat of sleepwalking and drowning, raising the stakes for Jess’s safety. Finally, it introduces the convict‑ship element of the family history through Jess’s dream, linking the present‑day story to a deeper ancestral legacy.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Jess compare her weekly emotional cycle to a “golden seed” that grows and then bursts?
Jess uses the seed metaphor to describe how hope arrives on Fridays, expands over the weekend, and then abruptly collapses into a chaotic, overwhelming feeling. The burst mirrors the intensity of her attraction to Mr. Hennessey and her fear of losing control. It also echoes the organic, uncontrollable nature of her dreams.
2. How does the Orpheus and Eurydice painting relate to Jess’s situation with Mr. Hennessey?
Jess initially sees the painting as hopeful—Orpheus reaching out to save Eurydice. When Mr. Hennessey points out that Eurydice dies, Jess rejects that interpretation, saying she prefers her own version. This reflects her willful blindness to the risks of her relationship with him. Like Eurydice, Jess is falling backwards into danger, but she clings to the belief that Mr. Hennessey can save her.
3. What does Mr. Hennessey’s response to Jess’s skin reveal about their dynamic?
By comparing her scarred skin to the inside of a shell and touching her knuckles, Mr. Hennessey shows he sees Jess differently from other adults—not as flawed but as interesting and beautiful. This moment of physical and emotional intimacy blurs the teacher‑student boundary. It also makes Jess feel seen and valued, which deepens her trust and attraction, creating a dependency that may later become problematic.