Yesteryear Chapter 32: The Social Media Course and the Performance of Likability

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Chapter Summary

Two years after the disastrous family visit, Natalie has given birth to her third child, Stetson, and is pregnant with a fourth. Her sister Abigail’s divorce has been finalized; Abigail now lives with their mother, bagging groceries. To supplement the income Doug has cut ahead of his presidential run, Natalie enrolls in a $1,500 six-week social media course run by influencer Tammy Lane. The first Zoom session opens with prayer and features women who all look like Natalie—cross necklaces and “JesusMomma” usernames. Tammy preaches the “Divine Christian Feminine” and promises effortless sales through authenticity. In breakout rooms, mentor Cassidy and other farm-women critique each other’s accounts. When it’s Natalie’s turn, they tell her she looks tired, unlikable, and fake—her smile does not reach her eyes. Cassidy suggests she practice smiling in a mirror. Later that night, Natalie finds Clementine watching her and teaches her daughter how to produce a convincing smile, admitting she has been “practicing being likable.” Clementine tries but fails to make the smile look genuine.

Key Events

Natalie joins Tammy Lane’s six-week social media course for $1,500.
The Zoom session opens with prayer; most participants are religious mothers.
Tammy delivers contradictory platitudes about the Divine Christian Feminine.
Breakout rooms: Cassidy leads feedback on each account.
Natalie’s account is criticized for a stiff, unlikable smile.
Cassidy tells Natalie to practice smiling in a mirror.
After the call, Natalie explains to Clementine that smiles make others feel safe.
Natalie demonstrates the fake smile she has learned; Clementine copies her poorly.

Character Development

Natalie: Desperation for income forces her to seek help from a shallow influencer. She is aware of the course’s absurdity but feels trapped. Her internal conflict between authenticity and performance deepens; she begins to see herself as a product to be optimized.
Clementine: The six-year-old appears as a mirror of Natalie’s own unease. She questions why she must smile, highlighting the forced emotional labor embedded in her mother’s new world.
Tammy Lane: A slick salesman who weaponizes religious language and maternal guilt to sell a generic self-help product. She represents the commodification of the “authentic” momfluencer.
Cassidy, Robin, Ashley Ann: Fellow farm women who double as competitors. They reinforce the pressure to perform happiness while remaining “relatable.” Their critiques expose the cruelty hidden behind supportive language.
Abigail (mentioned): Now divorced and living with their mother, working a low-wage job. Her downfall underscores Natalie’s fear of financial collapse.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Authenticity as performance: The chapter’s central irony: to appear “real” on social media, women must practice fake smiles. Natalie’s mirror practice literalizes the construction of an online persona.
The Divine Christian Feminine: Tammy’s trademark-pending concept twists spirituality into a marketing tool. It claims women’s “infinite energy” can be channeled into sales, while ignoring systemic constraints.
Economic pressure and motherhood: Natalie’s need for money (due to Doug’s cut) drives her into the course. She is too busy to witness Abigail’s collapse, yet the threat of that collapse shadows her.
The mirror: Used both literally (Natalie and Clementine practice smiling) and metaphorically. The social media audience is a silent mirror; the breakout group acts as a distorting mirror of judgment.
The cult-like language: Chant-like responses (“Hiiii, Robin!”), group prayer, and the mentor’s authority echo the language of a pyramid scheme or religious sect—reinforcing the chapter’s critique of the influencer industry.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter marks a turning point in Natalie’s journey from farm wife to online performer. It reveals the economic vulnerability that forces her to embrace the very commercialized motherhood she initially disdained. The brutal feedback on her smile foreshadows the erosion between her inner self and her curated image. By teaching Clementine to fake happiness, Natalie begins passing down the same emotional labor, suggesting this performance is becoming a family legacy. The chapter also introduces Tammy Lane, a character who may reappear as a foil or mentor figure. Overall, it deepens the novel’s exploration of what women sacrifice to survive in a system that demands they look grateful while doing it.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Natalie decide to enroll in Tammy Lane’s course, despite finding it “corny” and “generic”?
Answer: Doug has cut Natalie’s annual disbursement in half to fund his presidential run. She needs the money to support her family. The course promises six-figure passive income from Instagram, a goal she now desperately needs to achieve.
What specific feedback does Cassidy give Natalie about her Instagram presence, and how does Natalie react internally?
Answer: Cassidy and the other women say Natalie looks tired, unlikable, and that her smile seems fake—a grimace rather than genuine happiness. Natalie defends her natural smile but internally feels exposed. She later practices smiling in a mirror, revealing her willingness to conform to the group’s standard of “relatability.”
What does Natalie teach Clementine at the end of the chapter, and why is this moment significant?
Answer: Natalie teaches Clementine how to produce a convincing smile by making it “reach the eyes.” The moment is significant because it shows Natalie passing the lesson of emotional performance to her daughter, normalizing the idea that women must fake warmth to be liked. Clementine’s failed attempt underscores how unnatural this learned behavior is.

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