Freedom

Franzen breaks the anticipated chapter sequence by returning to Part 2 and providing a coda to Patty’s autobiography. Franzen writes Part 2, Chapter 4 from Patty’s point of view, as a letter that she pens to Walter six years after they separated. Patty explains that when she and Walter split up, she considered suicide before going to stay with Richard. She was angry with Walter, even though she knew she hurt him irreparably. Both she and Richard knew that their relationship would not last.

Patty stays with Richard for three months after Lalitha’s death. She is aware that his renewed interest in music and staying out late at night coincides with her arrival. She compares her leaving Richard to the U.S. getting out of Vietnam. The entire time that she is with Richard, she thinks about Walter. When she sees the footage of his angry speech, she wonders if she had been a setback for him. Perhaps she held back his most passionate side. 

Next, Patty stays in Wisconsin with her friend Cathy and becomes a babysitter for the twins of Cathy’s partner, Donna. The twins are named Natasha and Selena. Patty goes home when her father Ray gets cancer. He says he wants to speak his mind now that he is dying. They skirt the issue of Patty’s rape, but she appreciates the effort. She sits with Ray as much as she can and lets herself love him again. It is awkward, but she is desperate to forgive him for their past. At his funeral, there are at least 500 people. Some are powerful, but many are the marginalized, unprivileged people he helped. They make small speeches about him. It overwhelms Patty to hear so many people talk so lovingly about her father.

After his death, familial infighting over the country estate begins. Joyce now owns the property. Patty’s sisters want to sell it and divide the money. However, Patty’s brother, Edgar, is living there with children and his Jewish wife, Galina. Galina recently hit a crossing guard with her car. Because she and Edgar have no insurance, she is in debt for the damages. Patty visits Edgar and Galina; she says that if they sell the estate, they could pay off the insurance debt. Patty enjoys seeing their children, but the visit is unproductive. Galina says her grandfather wanted them to keep the house as a farm.

In Manhattan, Patty visits her other sister, Veronica. Veronica reminds her of Eliza. She does not want to work or spend time with Abigail. She just wants to be left alone. After Patty leaves, she wonders how her parents’ success never rubbed off of any of her children. When she visits her mother, she asks Joyce why she never came to her basketball games. Joyce says there was no time, which is not true. She says that once Abigail said that Joyce was the reason she failed as an actress. Abigail said if she succeeded, Joyce would take it from her. Joyce says she should have been there for Patty and tries to take responsibility for her past.

Patty plans to sell the house. Ray’s brothers will receive half of the proceeds. Joyce will also collect a large sum and dispense payments to Edgar and Galina as needed. Patty takes $75,000 as a jumpstart for whatever she wants to do next. With her share of the sale, Abigail becomes part of a successful comedy troupe in Italy. Veronica is left alone and doesn’t have to work. Galina and Edgar move and join an orthodox Jewish community in New York.

Patty spends five years in Brooklyn, working as a teacher’s aide and coaching middle school sports. Her relationship with Jessica improves, and she has also grown closer with Joey since the separation from Walter. Joey has now made millions in a shade-grown coffee venture. Occasionally, Patty wonders why Walter hasn’t divorced her yet.

A few weeks earlier, Patty saw Richard walking in New York. He bought her a glass of wine at a bar. He was content and appeared to be doing well. They talked about Walter, and Patty told Richard that Walter was living at the lake house in seclusion. Richard says he made Walter a present and suggests that Patty write a story for him.