The Great Alone: Chapter 23 Summary & Analysis

September arrives and Leni decides against going to college. She listens to the radio every day for updates on Matthew’s condition, until one day Tom tells her that Matthew is being moved to a rehabilitation center in Homer. Leni tells Cora she is going to see him. When Ernt protests, Leni looks at her mother and says, “Mama. Tell him if he wants to stop me, he’ll have to shoot me.” Knowing she’s serious, Ernt does not stand in her way. However, he does insist that Cora stay with him.

A few days later, Leni makes her way to the rehabilitation center where she finds Tom. Tom tells her that it sometimes appears that Matthew is doing better, although it is hard for Leni to tell; the bandages have been removed from Matthew’s head to reveal a face covered in scars, and there is what looks like a small cage around his head. When Leni tries to talk to Matthew, his eyes roll back in his head, and he makes incoherent noises. After failing to talk to Matthew, Leni and Tom step out of the room, where Tom gives Leni a birthday present Matthew prepared for her before his fall. Leni tucks the present into her coat. Tom also urges Leni to go to college, although she refuses; she believes doing so would amount to abandoning Matthew.

When she returns to Kaneq, Leni stops in Marge’s store and breaks down crying. She explains to Marge that she just saw Matthew and Marge comforts her. While in the store, Leni feels as though she might throw up and tells Marge that she’s experienced a lot of nausea lately. Marge looks at her knowingly and then hands her a pregnancy test, throwing Leni’s life into even more disarray.

Leni returns home and takes the pregnancy test. It comes back positive. Feeling scared and alone, Leni talks to her mother; she tells Cora about her visit with Matthew and her pregnancy. Shocked at the news, Cora tells Leni that she needs to find a way to leave Kaneq. However, before the conversation can go any further, Ernt arrives. He asks Leni, “How is the kid? Still a vegetable?” This angers Leni so much that she immediately blurts out that she is pregnant with Matthew’s child. In response, Ernt punches her hard in the face and then begins beating her with a belt. Before he can do too much damage, Cora shoots him twice in the back.