Study Guide

Big Little Lies Chapter 59

By Liane Moriarty

Chapter 59

Celeste is still lying in bed, and Perry's going off to catch a work meeting.
She thinks about how insane the situation is: Perry playing nurse after bashing her head against a wall. And her playing along.
Her thoughts are a little loopy, though, because she's taken a strong painkiller.
Yeah, Celeste is high as a kite.
She mentions something to Perry—he was bullied as a kid. She figured that’s why he beats her now. Inside, he's still an angry little kid.
She remembers something: it had been Saxon Banks that had helped defend Perry.
Which was weird: Saxon also turned out to be a violent abuser, but he didn't even have a history of childhood trauma to explain it away.
But Celeste's thoughts are meandering because of the painkiller, and she falls asleep.