Klara and the Sun

Klara grows accustomed to Josie’s house. She perceives and remembers spaces with a system of spatial “boxes” and gets confused if household items are moved. Melania, the housekeeper, is sometimes irritated by Klara’s presence: “She seemed often to wish to shorten the time I spent with Josie—which of course ran counter to my duty” (51). During the day, Chrissy goes to work as an attorney, and Josie takes virtual lessons with tutors. Chrissy makes it a point to have breakfast with Josie every morning. Melania doesn’t want Klara to join Josie and Chrissy for breakfast and coffee in the mornings, but Josie insists. Some mornings are pleasant and easygoing while others can be tense; for example, Chrissy sometimes takes Josie’s jokes too seriously.

Most evenings, Josie and Klara watch the sunset from Josie’s room. One night, Josie interrupts a conversation with her mother to bring Klara upstairs. Klara asks about the barn on the horizon which the sun appears to set behind, and Josie tells her it’s Mr. McBain’s barn. Josie asks “why the Sun would go for his rest to a place like that,” and Josie jokes that “you’d think the Sun would need a palace, minimum” (56). Josie says she once visited the barn with her close friend Rick.

The next week, Josie brings Klara outside for the first time, following a tutoring session. They climb a hill where they find Rick flying remote-control drones. Rick is cold toward Klara and protective of Josie. Still, Klara notices and appreciates their closeness, determining that she “should observe him carefully to understand how he belonged within the pattern of Josie’s life” (62). Rick has an English accent. He is Josie’s neighbor, and his house is considerably smaller than hers. Josie and Klara return home. At night, Josie and Chrissy discuss Josie’s upcoming interaction meeting, an organized session in which lifted children are brought together to socialize. Josie isn’t looking forward to the meeting. Since the meeting is being hosted at their house, Josie insists that Rick should be allowed to come.

On the day of the meeting, Klara comes downstairs to find a group of adults in the kitchen, all women, while Josie’s peers are together in the living room. Rick arrives, and the adults notice his less-expensive clothes. He makes small talk with the adults and then joins the children. One mother comments that Rick “seems so bright […] such a shame a boy like that should have missed out” (69). One woman makes clumsy remarks about Rick’s parents “losing their nerve,” and there are tense words, alluding to the health risks involved in the genetic manipulation procedure wherein children are “lifted.” Chrissy gets upset and mentions Sal, Josie’s older sister, who passed away. Tensions ease, and Chrissy tells Klara to join the children.

Klara surveys the children in the living room, referred to as the “Open Plan,” and notes their complex spatial arrangement. Two girls start talking to Rick dismissively, teasing him and talking about him in the third person. Rick starts to get angry, but Josie changes the subject and introduces the girls to Klara. A boy named Danny suggests throwing Klara across the room. Other children test Klara by giving her commands. She doesn’t comply because she doesn’t know if Josie wants her to or not. Rick confronts Danny over a toy dog he has in his pocket: “I’d say it’s your pet object. To help you feel calmer at gatherings like this one” (80). Danny’s mother interjects, admonishing Rick, but another parent brings her back to the kitchen, telling her that disputes are “for the kids to sort out” (81).

The children go outside, leaving Rick and Klara indoors. Rick is warmer toward Klara and mentions his and Josie’s “plan,” a promise they made to each other to stay together through life. Klara reflects on the meeting and believes that it was a “source of valuable new observations” (84).

One morning, Klara notices Josie’s irregular breathing in her sleep, and they call Dr. Ryan. Chrissy promises Josie they will go to Morgan’s Falls if she feels better by the weekend. Josie tells Klara that Morgan’s Falls is a beautiful waterfall that the family used to visit. She shows her a photo from Morgan’s Falls with Sal in it, and Klara learns that Sal died when Josie was younger.

Chrissy compliments Klara on Friday night and asks if she’s happy with them. They have a tense breakfast on Sunday and prepare to leave for Morgan’s Falls. Josie is still feeling weak and unwell. She tries to hide it as she walks to the car, but Chrissy notices and confronts her. They have an emotional argument. Josie wants to go, and Chrissy is upset with Josie for hiding that she isn’t feeling well. Melania suggests that Josie might be strong enough to make it to the falls, but Chrissy insists that she stay home. Because Josie had mentioned that Klara was looking forward to going to the falls, Chrissy takes Klara, while Josie and Melania stay home.

On the drive to Morgan’s Falls, Chrissy vents about her difficulties parenting Josie. They pass Kimball Refrigeration, and Chrissy tells Klara that Paul, Josie’s father, used to work there but was “substituted.” They park the car, and walk up a steep hill. Klara is unsettled by the sight of a bull in a field, which she believes “belonged somewhere deep in the ground far within the mud and darkness” (100). Chrissy gets coffee from a stand at the falls, and Klara sees children playing with their AFs. Chrissy tells Klara about Sal but gets upset when Klara asks how she died. Chrissy then asks Klara to “be Josie. Just for a little while” (103). Klara imitates Josie’s mannerisms, and talks to Chrissy as if she were Josie, downplaying her illness. They return to the car, and Klara notes that the bull is no longer there. On the drive home, Chrissy asks Klara not to tell Josie that she imitated her. Klara tells Chrissy she has “a hope…a real one” and believes “Josie will soon become better” (107). They arrive home, and Klara tells Josie about the trip. Josie is polite, but Klara senses that “there was no smile in her voice” (109).