The Beast in the Jungle

“You know you told me something I’ve never forgotten and that again and again has made me think of you since; it was that tremendously hot day when we went to Sorrento, across the bay, for the breeze. What I allude to was what you said to me, on the way back, as we sat under the awning of the boat enjoying the cool. Have you forgotten?”

During a chance encounter at a luncheon, May Bartram brings up her previous meeting with John Marcher and a particular conversation that she has recalled throughout the ensuing decade. May leads Marcher to a recollection of a shared experience, smoothing over the initial disconnection between their memories to create the illusion of a meaningful intersection. James uses memory and allusion to weave the complex relationship between May and Marcher, emphasizing the significance of seemingly minor moments as well as the desire for shared experiences to combat isolation and alienation. The moment highlights the transient nature of human connections and demonstrates how past events can be brought to bear on present relationships, regardless of how accurately they have been remembered.

“The vanity of women had long memories, but she was making no claim on him of a compliment or a mistake.”

Marcher offers a gendered explanation for May’s seemingly more accurate memory, implying that the encounter in Italy was more important to her than it was to him. Yet, he is nonetheless aware that the explanation does not entirely fit the circumstances; after all, May’s memory does not appear to be stereotypically “feminine” in its deployment. James’s ironizing technique not only serves to critique these stereotypes but also to highlight May’s distinctiveness from other women; she is not invoking a past compliment or grievance but rather seeking a deeper, more meaningful connection with Marcher.