Big Little Lies

Celeste and Perry talk in the car before going into the trivia night. Celeste tells Perry about Max’s bullying. Perry says he’ll talk to Max before he leaves for his trip. The couple admits that the boys have seen Perry hit Celeste before.

Celeste confirms that she is going to leave him and take the boys with her. Perry starts to cry and plead. He offers to see a psychiatrist and to resign from his job to work on himself. Celeste skeptically listens: “Perry was speaking as if he genuinely believed this was the first time he’d said this sort of thing” (414). She tells him it's over. Before their conversation can go on, Renata surprises them at their car window, and they all head into the trivia night. 

The party gets into full swing, and everyone drinks strong cocktails. The caterer is stuck in traffic, so no one has any food to help them sober up.

Drunk and emboldened, Madeline is snarky to Bonnie. Madeline is also critical of Nathan, referring to him as a deserter. She insinuates that Nathan might one day desert Bonnie too, seeking to aggravate her. Bonnie replies “He did a terrible, terrible thing. He will never forgive himself for it […] But it might be time you thought about forgiving him, Madeline” (419). Madeline scoffs.

Someone Suddenly bumps into Bonnie and causes her to spill her drink all over Madeline, cutting off their conversation. This explains Harper’s testimonial earlier in the novel.

Jane talks to Miss Barnes, who vents about all the parents constantly hounding her. Jane listens sympathetically. She looks out at the crowd and feels joyous and happy and that “these pink cocktails were glorious, and she loved school trivia nights, they were just so funny and fun” (426). Celeste approaches and asks to speak to Jane privately. 

Jane and Celeste go out onto the balcony and share what they know about Max. Celeste apologizes, but Jane insists it isn’t Celeste’s fault. Celeste replies, “No, but in a way it is my fault” (429), thinking of the ways violence has been normalized in her home.

Nathan and Bonnie come out to the balcony. Celeste apologizes to them too, having learned that Max was picking on Skye. Nathan and Bonnie reveal they know about Max’s bullying, and that they talked with Skye and emailed Miss Barnes about it. Like Jane, Nathan and Bonnie are understanding. 

Madeline overhears other moms gossiping at the party. The women are critical of Jane, Ziggy, and Renata’s marriage. Madeline scolds them and stomps off. Unintentionally, she runs into Renata. Surprisingly and effortlessly, the two amicably apologize about the car accident the other day. Together, they move to join the group sitting outside on the balcony.

As everyone starts coming together, many secrets start to unravel. Reaching the balcony, Madeline deduces that the man from South Dakota is actually Celeste; she is really the one donating $100,000 to Amnesty International. Celeste denies it, but Madeline can tell she is lying. Celeste tells Renata that Max was hurting Amabella. Renata is stunned and apologizes to Jane.

Ed and Perry appear. Perry meets Nathan, Bonnie, and Jane for the first time. Nathan mentions all the money that Celeste is donating, which Perry didn’t know about. Madeline senses something wrong with the way Celeste is sitting beside Perry: “The perfect marriage. The perfect life. Except Celeste was always so flustered. A little fidgety. A little edgy” (438). Perry berates Celeste in front of the group, commenting that she doesn’t make any money but knows how to spend money.

Jane cuts in, telling they’ve met before. He doesn’t remember. Jane insists that they have, saying “Except you said your name was Saxon Banks” (439). 

Jane watches Perry intently, but he refuses to acknowledge her. Emboldened, Jane tells Perry she moved to Pirriwee in part because she thought she’d run into him. During their encounter, Jane remembered seeing a real estate leaflet for a beachside home in the Pirriwee Peninsula. Jane never forgot that detail. Jane often thought about the multitude of things she wanted out of seeing Perry again; she wanted to yell at him, get revenge and recognition. Ultimately, though, “She wanted him to marvel at his beautiful, serious, intense little boy” (443). More than her personal desires, Ziggy comes first for Jane, and she is proud of who is becoming.

Perry mutters to Celeste that his one-night stand didn’t mean anything. He shrugs, dismissive of Jane as a person and her feelings. Furious, Celeste throws her drink at Perry. Instinctually, Perry responds by hitting Celeste, and she falls to the ground.

Everyone comes to Celeste’s defense. Renata prepares to call the police, and Perry tries to talk her out of it. Bonnie is particularly overwrought with emotions. Madeline sees another side of her, “[Bonnie] sounded like a drinker. A smoker. A fighter. She sounded real” (446). Bonnie screams at Perry, then pushes him with both her hands. Perry stumbles and falls off the balcony. 

Perry plummets off the balcony and dies. Bonnie curls into a ball, traumatized by what she did. Renata, cellphone in hand, readies to call an ambulance. Strangely, however, Renata stops before dialing. Renata lies, saying to the group, “…I didn’t see what happened. I didn’t see him fall” (449). Slowly, one by one, the members of the group all declare they didn’t see anything either; they are willing to lie about Perry’s death to protect Bonnie.

Ed is the odd person out. He doesn’t want to lie. Seeing the reactions of everyone else forces Ed to reluctantly go along with the group. He runs to get help, but only shouts that Perry has fallen, not that he was pushed.

Madeline moves to console Jane. Madeline had so passionately hated Saxon for Jane. Realizing that Perry was Jane’s abuser is still a shock to Madeline. The two friends barely have a moment to talk and console one another, though, as two drunk dads fighting over the French maid barrel into the women. Madeline and Jane are knocked to the floor and injured.