Study Guide

Big Little Lies Chapter 32

By Liane Moriarty

Chapter 32

Madeline and Jane talk things out.
Madeline's first response is to say how none of this was Jane's fault; she was sexually and verbally assaulted by Saxon Banks.
Then she starts telling Jane that what he said—that Jane was fat and ugly—was also false.
Now Jane gets animated. It shouldn't even matter, she says. Men can be fat and ugly and still respected. Fat, ugly men aren't judged for being fat and ugly.
But for women, she says, "fat and ugly" is the worst thing you can be.
After Saxon Banks, Jane developed an eating disorder. She used to be voluptuous and is now skinny.
She hates how much his words hurt her. The end result of the assault was Ziggy—because of Jane's endometriosis, she didn't even think about the possibility of conception.
And she was "woke up" when Ziggy was born; she sloughed off the depression that had been trailing her.
Now, however, she's worried that Ziggy's father's abusiveness is coming through in his son's behavior.
After all, Ziggy was accused of choking Amabella.
Just like Saxon Banks choked Jane.
Madeline, angry on behalf of her friend, decides to Google "Saxon Banks."
Please don't, says Jane.