Part 1, Chapter 6 Summary

The day before he leaves Charleston, Jeff returns to his island, where he runs along the dunes, watches the waves, and swims. As night falls, he realizes he should cross back, but can't bring himself to do it. So he sleeps on the beach, and wakes up feeling healed, and at home, and as if he had just woken from a deep, long sleep. Although he must hurry to catch his flight to Baltimore, Jeff lingers on the island, and sees the heron fly across the island, croaking with displeasure at being disturbed. It seems to Jeff that the heron is saying, "just leave me alone."

Part 1, Chapter 6 Analysis

Before leaving Charleston for the last time, Jeff goes back to the island where he is "the only human inhabitant." The wholeness and catharsis that Jeff feels after he sleeps on the...