28 Summers

Romantic infidelity is an important component of 28 Summers, as Jake’s relationship with Ursula—which culminates in marriage—means that his relationship with Mallory is adulterous. The narrative surrounding Mallory and Jake’s relationship establishes the idea that although society might believe what they’re doing is wrong, Jake and Mallory believe themselves mostly innocent because they aren’t guilty emotionally. Mallory is generally single during her trysts with Jake, although she pursues romantic relationships with other men during the rest of the year. Two of these men are single, but she finds out that a third, Bayer, is married after she becomes romantically entangled with him. Jake struggles with some feelings of guilt during his early summers with Mallory (Ursula’s characterization as emotionally distant, competitive, and self-centered helps suggest that Jake has an emotional void that his annual weekend with Mallory helps fill). The dynamic is also intended to prevent the reader from “feeling sorry” for Ursula, who seems to treat her marriage with Jake and his well-being as afterthoughts. Jake reflects that “If he were to lose his job, go bankrupt, get hit by a bus, or be diagnosed with terminal cancer while he was married to Ursula, he’d be on his own” (70). This establishes Ursula as someone with whom Jake does not have a strong emotional connection—largely because of her own demeanor. Her lack of love toward her husband exonerates Jake of wrongdoing in the eyes of some readers. By contrast, Mallory exhibits interest in and care toward Jake. Such careful characterization allows Hilderbrand to add nuance to Mallory and Jake’s relationship as emotionally acceptable. Though it may be an act of deception and infidelity, and though they both feel guilt, they also remain faithful to their constant love and devotion for one another. Mallory herself wonders why others should decide on whether their actions are right or wrong when they themselves aren’t actively trying to hurt anyone.       

The Cavendish hearings related in Chapter 26, on the other hand, are portrayed in such a way that Hilderbrand establishes an alternative definition of wrongdoing—the desire to mistreat others for self-gain. Because Mallory and Jake don’t intend to harm anyone else, even Ursula, with their secret relationship, they can argue blamelessness in the moral world of the book. (Equating integrity with the lack of desire to hurt someone is continued when Cavendish’s accuser’s husband states that “They aren’t looking to ruin anyone” [378].) However, Cavendish, a powerful male who is portrayed as covering up his past offenses to retain his status, falls under the moral scrutiny of both Ursula and the narrator because he refuses to admit that he was at fault (378, 383).

Ursula experiences her own feelings of guilt just before Cavendish’s hearing, when Bayer tells her that he knows about her affair with Anders (384-85), implying that he could blackmail her with the information. Ursula might be tempted to let Cavendish off the hook because she also has secrets that she’s ashamed of. However, when Cavendish repeatedly denies the possibility that multiple women could be right about the accusations against him (387), Ursula turns against him. Furthermore, authorities are portrayed as trying to “shame” (382) Cavendish’s accusers for speaking out, which—especially when coupled with the gendered and sexual nature of the accusations—is a strong definition of moral wrongdoing in Hilderbrand’s story. This idea is supported by Hilderbrand’s own statements on X, formerly known as Twitter, during the real-life Brett Kavanaugh hearings in 2018. She stated that she was “horrified” about how Kavanaugh’s accusers were treated, and that “[a] vote for Kavanaugh is a vote against womankind” (@elinhilderbrand). In the narrator’s view, in addition to Jake’s exclusive emotional connection to Mallory, his admission that he would be honest with Ursula and Bess if they found out about Mallory (301) further separates him from “true” wrongdoers like Cavendish (and by implication, the real-life Kavanaugh).

Source citation:

@elinhilderbrand (Elin Hilderbrand). “If #BrettKavanaugh is confirmed I will be utterly horrified. A vote for Kavanaugh is a vote against womankind.” X, 4 Oct 2018, 7:53 AM.