Contents
Chapter 4
Overview
Natalie recalls her first night at college, where roommate Reena pressures her to drink and parades affluent friends who mock Natalie’s appearance and naivete. Overwhelmed and isolated, Natalie is further traumatized by overhearing Reena’s sexual encounter in their shared room, leading to panic and vomiting—an early wound that foreshadows her fraught relationship with modernity and intimacy.
Summary
The chapter flashes back to Natalie’s first night at college. Her new roommate, Reena Magliotti, hosts a pregame, handing Natalie a sugary alcoholic drink. Natalie, torn between religious abstinence and being agreeable, drinks to fit in as Reena’s polished friends crowd their dorm room.
As the party swells, Natalie feels disoriented and excluded. The girls fixate on Natalie’s braid and prairie dress, treating her like a curiosity and implying she is naive. Feeling judged and homesick, Natalie withdraws from the room and sits alone in the dorm’s recreation area until the parties disperse.
Returning to clean the mess, Natalie tries to sleep. Reena brings a boy back and has sex in their shared room. The graphic sounds trigger Natalie’s panic, making her feel invaded and powerless, as if the act is happening to her. She prays silently for it to stop.
After the boy leaves and Reena steps out, the physical and emotional distress culminates in Natalie vomiting up the sugary drink. The experience cements her sense of alienation and fear in this new environment.
Who Appears
- NatalieFreshman at college; pressured to drink, mocked by peers, traumatized by overhearing roommate’s sex, ends the night panicked and vomiting.
- Reena MagliottiNatalie’s affluent roommate; hosts a pregame, pushes alcohol on Natalie, later has sex in their shared room.
- Reena’s friendsA group of polished, affluent girls who patronize and ridicule Natalie’s appearance and background.
- Unnamed boyReena’s hookup; has sex with Reena in the dorm room, intensifying Natalie’s distress.