Study Guide

The Interestings Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Away from Spirit-in-the-Woods, Ethan is dealing with the Mastery Seminars he's running in California.
It's a bunch of rich people, but the proceeds go to the Anti-Child Labor Initiative.
Ethan is approached by a young kid who tells him he's an animator, and for some weird reason Ethan tells him to consider private equity as a field instead.
The boy and his mother leave, and Ethan wonders how he became the grumpy father in his own show.
Jonah is at the seminars as Ethan's guest (plus his boss is hoping to get invited to present their innovations eventually).
Ash is there, too, but she's working in her and Ethan's suite.
They talk briefly about Jules and Dennis going back to Spirit-in-the-Woods.
Ethan is called away to introduce a talk and makes sure Jonah has an all-access pass to the events.
Jonah says he's going to go to a talk by an astronaut, and Ethan leaves for his commitment.
On his way to the talk, Jonah is drawn into a different room by familiar music.
Uh oh… It's Barry Claimes and he's still singing songs he stole from Jonah.
Jonah has a visceral reaction to realizing this.
Barry is asked a question and makes up some ridiculous backstory for how he came up with his songs, and which point Jonah loses it and rushes out to sit quietly in a men's room until he pulls it together.
Of course, Barry ends up in the same men's room and Jonah follows him out.
Jonah actually stalks Barry back to his room and slips inside when he opens the door.
Barry thinks he's just a druggie trying to mug him, so Jonah starts shoving him and says, "it's me" (19.50), until Barry suddenly recognizes him and thinks everything's okay.
Quickly, though, Barry realizes, thanks to Jonah's knee in his gut, that this isn't a friendly visit.
He tries to tell Jonah he wanted to be a father figure and encourage his playing, which is the last straw for Jonah, who smashes Barry across the face with the banjo.
Jonah washes his hands and leaves Barry bloodied in his room, taking the banjo.
Ethan's assistant calls Jonah and has him take a car to a vineyard to meet Ethan.
At the vineyard, Jonah downs half a glass of wine without thinking, so Ethan asks him what's wrong.
Jonah doesn't want to share, but Ethan's had about enough of his mysteriousness; they talk about work and why Jonah doesn't like his job.
Jonah finally admits that he would have liked to be a musician and Ethan asks him what happened.
Jonah spits out the story of the drug abuse and Ethan sympathizes.
Ethan also tells Jonah that this doesn't explain why he doesn't play music at least as a hobby—Ethan also refuses to believe that Barry stole all of Jonah's music.
Back in his room, Jonah picks up the banjo he took from Barry and starts to play.

The Interestings Chapter 19

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