The Simple Wild: A Novel

“I only ever saw him through the enchanted eyes of a little girl who desperately wanted to meet the quiet man on the other side of the phone.”

This quote reveals Calla's feelings regarding the relationship with her father. It captures her innocent idealization of him and her longing to have a relationship with him growing up. Calla’s words also relay the pain of estrangement she felt as she grew and matured, highlighting her evolving perspective on her relationship with her father. Referring to him as just a man on a phone underscores their physical and emotional distance.

“Whatever magic there was in the beginning has been fizzling away, like a slow leak in a tire after it has taken a nail. You could go on for months without knowing something’s wrong, until one day you end up stranded on the side of the road with a flat.”

Using a metaphor to describe the gradual decline of the relationship, Calla’s thoughts reveal her feelings of disillusionment about the unnoticed erosion of love and her eventual realization of the relationship's deterioration. The metaphor of a slow leak implies the hazard of ignoring minor problems in relationships that later evolve into more significant issues. The comparison of feeling stranded conveys Calla’s loneliness and isolation now that she’s admitted the truth.

“I hope he made sure to get its weight for takeoff.”

This quote exemplifies the humor woven throughout the story and Calla’s pattern of biting back at Jonah each time he takes a shot at her. When Jonah asks for her weight, he’s concerned about overloading the plane, but Calla takes it as an insult. It reveals her lack of knowledge about flying but also marks the beginning of their conflict. The weight limit on the small plane also prevents Calla’s luggage from coming along, which becomes a problem for her and a sore spot between her and Jonah.

“[M]y discomfort has nothing to do with the décor and everything to do with the fact that whatever excitement I was feeling over seeing my father has quickly been squashed by the mounting dread that I am unwelcome here.”

This quote symbolizes Calla’s unfamiliarity with her father’s world. Her discomfort in this new environment reflects her struggle to find footing and establish a sense of belonging. Calla’s excitement about meeting her father is overshadowed by a fear of rejection, making her feel exposed and uncertain. Calla’s fear of being unwelcome points to a deep-seated need for acceptance and belonging, central to her journey as she navigates her relationship with her father and her place in his life in Alaska.

“I’ve heard that voice say those words before. Many years ago, through a receiver, carried along thousands of kilometers of wire, occasionally tinged by static and the hint of an echo.”

Hearing Wren’s voice again evokes a nostalgic longing for a time when Calla’s connection with her father, though distant, was still present. The memory is tinged with a sense of loss and longing to reestablish that connection. This distance Calla felt over the phone symbolizes their relationship's emotional gap and separation. The “static” symbolizes the imperfections and misunderstandings that plague their connection.

“That’s the magic of social media, I guess. But there’s also an odd comfort to hiding behind the illusion. If I stare at myself beside the orange-and-yellow toy plane long enough, and reread the effervescent caption enough times, maybe I’ll start to buy what I’m selling, too.”

Calla has used social media to create the image of a beautiful life, presenting a polished version of reality that does not represent her inner pain. She takes solace in hiding behind the facade, which serves as a momentary distraction from her grief, but she is uncomfortable with the inauthenticity. She believes that the image she creates will eventually convert into genuine self-confidence and pleasure.

“[M]aybe she gave up on growing things in Alaska before ever trying.”

Susan always insists that Bangor is a “barren wasteland” where nothing could grow. Calla sees a different view of the town and learns there’s even a farm down the street that produces a bounty of crops. The quote also holds a layered meaning, as Calla feels her mother too felt she couldn’t grow there and abandoned her life with Wren before giving it a chance. Calla’s experience with both Alaska and Wren is that, like growing plants, it takes time to cultivate healthy relationships.

“Is he running? Or are you chasing him away?”

Simon provides this dual perspective and suggests Calla and Wren may share blame for their estrangement. Simon challenges Calla to confront her role in her poor relationship with her father and argues that not only Wren's conduct but also Calla's response has led to their distancing. Recognizing reciprocal responsibility is a step toward healing, allowing Calla and Wren to bridge the gap, improve communication, and heal their relationship. This quote exemplifies the positive influence Simon has on Calla, always having a listening ear and giving her helpful advice.

“Jonah knows my dad better than I do, and he uses that as a weapon, jabbing whenever he sees an opportunity.”

Jonah has what Calla lacks: a close relationship with Wren. Though Jonah acts like he hates Calla’s preoccupation with her appearance, he deliberately exploits her insecurities about her relationship with her father because he thinks she doesn’t deserve his love. Jonah’s intimate knowledge of Wren gives him a sense of power in his interactions with Calla, creating a rivalry that places him in a superior position. Calla’s recognition that Jonah knows her father better than she does highlights her feelings of inadequacy and emotional vulnerability. She is acutely aware of the gap in her relationship with Wren and feels exposed and threatened by Jonah’s judgment.

“[I]f I’m not mistaken, that parasite helped force a lot of truth to the surface tonight.”

Calla compares Jonah to a parasite as he sucks the life out of her with his constant berating tone and judgmental attitude. However, after she breaks down at the dinner at Agnes’s house due to a misunderstanding due to lack of communication, Jonah helps her see the importance of opening an honest dialogue with Wren. This moment marks a shift in Calla’s relationship with her father and Jonah as she begins to see them differently.

“Wren won’t say it, but I know he has a lot of regrets. You and your mother are at the center of most of them.”

Agnes serves as a gentle and wise bridge between Calla and Wren in the early days of their reunion. Her statement here isn’t intended to make Calla feel guilty but to help her understand Wren’s humanity. A large part of Calla’s transformation is a breakdown of how she idealized her father, and Agnes allows Calla to see that he is fallible and imperfect and never stopped loving her and her mother.

“He’s called her that at least a half dozen times tonight and every time has been like a siren for me, a stark reminder that this kid has something with him that I never had.”

Wren calls Mabel "kiddo," a term he once reserved for Calla. When he uses the affectionate nickname for someone else, it sparks a longing deep within her to be close to her father. While Wren and Mabel share an easy familiarity, Wren and Calla’s relationship is strained and distant. This contrast emphasizes Calla's emotional gap and her desire to bridge it. As Calla observes Wren’s interactions with Mabel, it provides insight into Wren’s capacity for affection and care, a pivotal realization for Calla as she seeks to understand and reconnect with her father.

“I feel naked and self-conscious. I can’t remember the last time I went out in public bare-faced.”

Calla feels exposed and defenseless without her usual makeup, highlighting how much she relies on her appearance as a shield against the world. Going out with a clean face symbolizes a stripping away of the layers that Calla uses to present herself. Living without her expensive cosmetics forces a confrontation with her authentic self, devoid of embellishments or masks. Calla’s identity is closely tied to her appearance, and going without makeup challenges her to redefine her self-worth beyond her physical appearance and confront who she is without these external enhancements, marking a significant step in Calla’s journey toward self-discovery.

“The excuses tumble out of him like poorly cast die, the truth gripped tightly within his palm.”

Dice are typically associated with chance, but "poorly cast" implies that Wren’s excuses about taking Calla flying are ineffective, unconvincing, and haphazard. The imagery evokes a sense of desperation and lack of sincerity in Wren's attempts to explain or justify himself. The metaphor of the tightly gripping palm indicates Wren’s desire for concealment and control, insinuating that he is intentionally withholding the truth. Calla assumes Wren doesn’t want to spend time with her. However, she learns later that he has been trying to conceal the seriousness of his illness from her.

“He doesn’t want me to feel whatever weight still sits on his shoulders.”

The more Calla gets to know Jonah, the more she understands that he regrets his poor relationship with his father. At first, this creates tension in their relationship as he judges her for not giving Wren a chance. Eventually, Calla sees that Jonah is correct and that he’s only trying to protect her from making the same mistakes that continue to haunt him.

“Mom has one of those show-stopping laughs, an infectious melody that carries through rooms and cuts strangers’ sentences short as they search for the source.”

In one of their more vulnerable conversations, Wren tells Calla that he fell in love with Susan before he even saw her because of her laugh. Calla knows her mother as a vibrant and charismatic presence. The quote evokes a sense of emotional warmth and affection as Calla’s admiration for her mother’s laugh reflects a deep emotional bond and a sense of pride in her mother’s ability to bring joy to others. By describing the laugh as a melody, the passage personifies it, attributing it with musical qualities that enhance its beauty. Her laugh is not just a physical sound but an extension of her lively personality, revealing that Susan brings warmth and positivity wherever she goes.

“My mind—or more likely my hormones—seems to be trying to compartmentalize Jonah in some sort of Jekyll and Hyde situation so I can freely lust over the hot Viking version.”

The allusion to Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde offers insight into Calla's internal conflict and attraction to Jonah. It reveals themes of duality, attraction, and the complexity of human emotions. Calla’s mind, influenced by her hormones, is trying to categorize Jonah into distinct personas. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde represent the coexistence of good and evil within a person, suggesting that Calla sees both Jonah’s desirable and undesirable qualities, and she must separate his admirable traits from his less appealing ones to manage her feelings. Calling him a “hot Viking” evokes a strong, rugged, and adventurous persona, which she finds appealing beyond any negative aspects of his behavior.

“I can’t tell if it’s because it feels riskier with the unstable conditions outside…or if it has more to do with the conditions brewing inside this cramped fuselage.”

The quote highlights the tension and emotional turbulence Calla experiences on the flight to rescue the stranded hikers. The rescue flight is risky, and the lousy weather complicates the mission. The external threat of bad weather symbolizes the uncontrollable and unpredictable elements in life that create a sense of danger. The unspoken issue of the kiss Calla and Jonah shared earlier in the day also contributes to a charged atmosphere. Calla feels vulnerable flying in the plane and exploring her developing feelings for Jonah, both of which pose uncertain outcomes.

“It’s almost ghostly in mood, this morning.”

Though Calla and Jonah experience a night full of pleasure, the following day dawns with ominous weather. The approaching fog signals that rescuing the hikers will be dangerous. The approaching storm foreshadows the news Calla and Jonah will get as soon as they return to the airport that Wren is in the hospital.

“But there’s a very clear expiration date to whatever this is between us and I haven’t lost sight of that.”

Calla is guarding herself emotionally as she is aware of the temporary nature of her relationship with Jonah. Because she plans to return home, Calla assumes their connection has a limited time frame, much like a perishable food item. There’s tension between her desire to continue exploring their connection but balance her enjoyment with the reality of an uncertain future.

“What’s it like to be him right now? To know your clock is almost up?”

This quote highlights Calla’s character development as she pushes past her fear and grief to empathize with her father in the terminal stage of his illness. This demonstrates a shift in her character as she moves from a place of self-centeredness to one of compassion and understanding. Comparing Wren’s life to a clock winding down emphasizes the urgency for Calla to make the most of their time together meaningfully.

“Jonah is Alaska to me.”

Jonah embodies the spirit, essence, and characteristics of Alaska. Its rugged, wild, and untamed nature mirrors Jonah’s personality and how he lives. Her feelings for him are inseparable from her experience of the place. Alaska becomes more than just a physical location; it represents her emotional journey and transformation, of which Jonah is at the center. At one time, Calla associated Alaska with the negative emotions surrounding her parents’ breakup and her estrangement from her father. Mirroring the development of her relationship with Jonah, Calla becomes more attuned to the beauty of a place that once felt foreign and intimidating.

“And just like that, I sense a circle closing. Back to the beginning, and near to the end.”

Seeing Susan and Wren reunite on his deathbed gives Calla a much-needed catharsis in the complicated feelings she has surrounding her family. Having lived for so long with many unanswered questions about their relationship and her father’s feelings toward her, seeing them together one last time brings their journey full circle. The tenderness Susan shows Wren gives Calla a glimpse of their earlier love, and seeing his great love one last time is a fitting end to his life.