Chasing Love

Charlie Mason’s engagement ring is a symbol of commitment. Over the course of her and Julian Baker’s three-month relationship, Charlie feels as if romantic happiness might once again be within her reach. However, as soon as Julian proposes and puts the diamond ring on her finger, Charlie starts to question what she really wants and whether Julian is really the man she belongs with. The ring effectively bars her from dealing with her unresolved feelings for Lex Edwards. It also “seals her fate” with Julian. Her internal monologue while studying the ring on the night of the proposal conveys her fraught feelings about the engagement:

The ring is taunting me, its weight now unbearable. It’s beautiful, but this moment isn’t what I imagined. I feel guilty as I sit here wearing this piece of jewelry with a symbolic meaning. This ring means the promise of committing myself to Julian for the rest of my life (69).

This promise is exactly what scares Charlie. She and Lex broke up nine years prior, and Julian is the perfect match. Even still, Charlie is unsure if committing to Julian is what she really wants. For this reason, she repeatedly takes off the ring.