54 pages • 1-hour read
Half His Age
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Chapters 19-41Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, sexual content, child sexual abuse, emotional abuse, disordered eating, and substance use.
Chapter 19 Summary
During her chaotic Black Friday shift at Victoria’s Secret, Waldo’s mother shows up and demands that Waldo serve her and let her use her discount. While her mother is trying things on, Korgy texts Waldo about taking a walk together after all.
Chapter 20 Summary
Waldo makes an excuse to get out of work early, races home, changes, and heads to the park to see Korgy. Throughout the walk, they talk about Korgy’s past and Waldo’s future. Korgy thinks Waldo should go to college, although Waldo’s mother has always scoffed at the idea. Korgy assures her that if she ever wants to discuss her future with someone, she can come to him.
The conversation shifts, and Korgy reveals that his sister died when he was a teenager. They talk about his decision to move to Anchorage and his frustrations with life, too.
Suddenly, Waldo slips on some ice, and when Korgy helps her, she kisses him. A shocked Korgy insists their relationship is not like that and that he does not have feelings for her. Waldo argues otherwise, and they part ways. However, when she gets in her car, it won’t start.
Chapter 21 Summary
Korgy waits with Waldo while she waits for the tow truck. She apologizes for what happened, but Korgy is cold toward her. He insists he could be fired if anyone found out and shuts down the conversation.
Chapter 22 Summary
Waldo returns home to find her mother making dinner for Tony. Waldo secretly resents her mother for never cooking for her. When her mother invites Tony to stay for dessert, he abruptly leaves, calling Waldo the wrong name. Waldo and her mother spend the rest of the night watching The Bachelor and eating grocery store cupcakes in silence.
Chapter 23 Summary
In the school bathroom, Waldo watches two pretty girls lightly apply makeup in the mirror. She is overcome with a sudden rage at how ugly she is. The rage quickly extends to Korgy for not wanting her.
In creative writing, Waldo is shocked to discover that Korgy is absent; she wonders if he skipped school because he’s upset over her.
Chapter 24 Summary
Chapter 25 Summary
Waldo attends the winter formal dance with Frannie and Tristan. Korgy has been out for two weeks, and Waldo feels miserable. Nolan—a classmate from Korgy’s class—approaches her. They speculate about Korgy’s absence before Nolan asks her to dance. An uncomfortable Waldo excuses herself to the bathroom.
On the way, she stops in Korgy’s room and is sniffing his teaching supplies when Korgy appears. Waldo wants to know why he’s there and if he’s been out because of her. He reveals that his father died. Waldo insists on comforting him, pressing herself against him, pushing him into his chair, and straddling him. She is pleased when she feels his erection; she writhes against him despite his protestations. Finally, he gives in and orgasms, immediately apologizing.
Chapter 26 Summary
Chapter 27 Summary
Waldo and Korgy meet up at a café outside of town. Korgy is wearing a ballcap and pays in cash. Over coffee, Korgy admits that he has feelings for Waldo but insists they can’t be together because she’s too young and he’s married with a child. He expresses shame over their last encounter and assures Waldo that she can find better boys her age. Waldo insists otherwise, and indicates that she’s open to a no-strings-attached affair if he is.
Chapter 28 Summary
Dissatisfied with her recent online shopping sprees, Waldo visits the mall. Korgy still hasn’t gotten back to her about her proposal, and she can’t stop thinking about him. Inside, she spends an exorbitant amount of money on clothes before ordering pretzels at Auntie Anne’s. Then Randy texts to see if she’d “still be down to fuck” (98).
Back at home, Waldo trashes her mom’s sticky notes and inspects her purchases. Nothing looks right, and she feels frustrated with her new makeup, too. Korgy texts that he’s “about to head out from poker night” (98) and asks if she’s home. She feels instantly better.
Chapter 29 Summary
Waldo races to get ready in the few minutes she has before Korgy’s arrival. He is visibly drunk when he gets to her apartment, but she doesn’t mind. She pours him another drink and watches him take in her space, comparing his reaction to Frannie’s when she first came over. She invites Korgy into her room, and they stare at each other for a while before having sex. Korgy leaves shortly after.
Chapter 30 Summary
Chapter 31 Summary
Waldo and Korgy text about their sexual encounter. Korgy also expresses his desire to teach Waldo things and introduce her to new culture. They make plans to meet up again.
Chapter 32 Summary
On Christmas Eve, Korgy takes Waldo to the Alyeska Resort. Gwen is with her family. On the way, he makes Waldo duck down so no one in town recognizes them together.
At the resort, they have lunch, people-watch, have sex, and talk about their lives. Waldo opens up about her absent father, and Korgy tells Waldo about his childhood in Florida. On the way home, Waldo delights in watching Korgy sing along to old rock music on the radio. They remark on how young they feel when they’re together.
Chapter 33 Summary
Waldo and her mother go to Denny’s for Christmas. While they’re eating, Korgy texts Waldo that he misses her.
Chapter 34 Summary
Korgy is free again on New Year’s Eve. At Waldo’s apartment, they do a puzzle and watch French movies. Korgy orders Waldo groceries from Amazon, insisting she needs healthier snack options. Then he preps Waldo for their return to school, insisting his feelings won’t have changed for her just because he’ll have to be more discreet. Waldo is glad to hear this.
Shortly after he leaves, the groceries arrive, but Waldo only eats half a health bar before resorting to old soda.
Chapter 35 Summary
After winter break, Waldo and Korgy have less time to see each other. One day, they have sex in Korgy’s supply closet. Another teacher enters mid-interaction, but doesn’t detect them. Afterwards, Korgy insists they have to be more careful.
Chapter 36 Summary
Waldo is performing oral sex on Korgy when Gwen calls. Noticing how stressed he looks during the call, Waldo continues to pleasure him.
Chapter 37 Summary
Waldo is devastated on her birthday when Korgy cancels their plans. Her mother notices how upset she is. Waldo dismisses her concern and tries hiding her disappointment when her mother gives her the scooter she asked for years prior.
Shortly after her mother leaves for work, Waldo gets a text from Korgy asking if he can see her after all. Waldo agrees to meet up, thankful she is actually free.
Chapter 38 Summary
Waldo and Korgy drive to Beluga Point, exchanging stories on the way. She silently compares him to her previous boyfriends, enthralled by his wisdom and his sadness. They arrive at their destination, and Korgy sets up a picnic lunch for them. Waldo declares this is her best birthday.
Chapter 39 Summary
Waldo goes rollerskating with Frannie and Tristan but is distracted by texts from Korgy the whole time. This has been going on for weeks. She is always desperate for Korgy’s messages. When she doesn’t hear from him, she obsesses over his last messages. She is deflated now when he abruptly ends their texting exchange to bathe his son.
Chapter 40 Summary
On her lunch break at work, Waldo meets up with Korgy. He gives her a sandwich, insisting she eat right away. Waldo doesn’t want to waste their time eating. Korgy notices that she seems upset about how little time they have together, and insists he wants more, too. His dream would be to spend a week in Hawaii together. Waldo knows this will never happen but still feels guilty for wanting more and feeling upset. Instead of continuing the conversation, she initiates sex, privately hoping she can still be what Korgy needs.
Chapter 41 Summary
Korgy makes plans to take Waldo out. She spends hours getting ready, determined to be on time as Korgy stipulated. However, 10 minutes before he’s supposed to arrive, Korgy texts to cancel. He and Gwen got into a fight, and he can’t leave after all. Waldo is devastated but texts him that it’s no problem.
Chapters 19-41 Analysis
Chapters 19-41 trace the inception and evolution of Waldo and Korgy’s affair to explore The Inherent Harm in Adult-Child Relationships. Their interactions throughout this section establish their unbalanced power dynamic and Mr. Korgy’s exploitative behaviors toward Waldo, who is a minor. When Waldo first kisses Korgy, for example, Korgy is quick to shut down Waldo’s feelings for him and to deny his feelings for her, but does not withdraw entirely from their interactions.
This dynamic immediately disempowers Waldo. Korgy doesn’t take accountability for his own inappropriate behaviors toward Waldo—inviting her over for dinner, emailing, texting, and calling her, or agreeing to meet up outside of school—and instead blames Waldo for making inappropriate advances toward him and jeopardizing his job. When they meet up for coffee after their first sexual encounter, Korgy alludes to his behaviors as mistakes, yet continues to cast himself as a sympathetic victim and Waldo as the naive, pitiful child: “Waldo,” he says “sternly,” as if she is unaware and needs reminding, “you’re seventeen and I’m married and I’m your teacher” (70). His condescension automatically puts him in the position of power. Korgy is doing his “due diligence,” scolding his minor student for her bad behavior while simultaneously underscoring his authority over her.
Since Waldo is younger, less experienced, and more vulnerable, she falls victim to Korgy’s emotional manipulation. Korgy exploits her vulnerability and youth to escape his own tedium and dissatisfaction. As a minor, Korgy cannot legally consent to their relationship, and she is still a child who needs protection and guidance. Korgy presents himself as an archetypal guide—promising to expose her to all sorts of intellectual and cultural fodder for her growing mind—but he is in fact abusing and misguiding her. He is the proverbial wolf disguised in the grandmother’s nightclothes—posing himself as a kindly elder, while actively endangering an innocent child.
Throughout these chapters, Korgy’s behaviors ride the line between care and emotional withdrawal, laying the groundwork for his grooming. His alleged displays of affection are inherently confusing, which complicates Waldo’s ability to initially perceive him as a threat to her physical, sexual, and emotional safety. For example, Korgy takes her on elaborate outings, buys her nice food, brings her lunch while she is working, remembers her birthday, and buys her expensive groceries online. Waldo interprets these gestures as signs of “how hard Mr. Korgy tries, that he’s giving everything he can” (135).
At the same time, these behaviors are all implements of control. Korgy uses his dramatic displays as proof that he is invested in Waldo and has her best interests in mind, when really he is sexually and emotionally exploiting her. If she complains, he can always point to all he has done for her as evidence otherwise. As the adult who has a career, a wealthy wife, and a solid reputation in town, Korgy is circumstantially protected. He can use his position of power to give Waldo things that she does in fact need—attention, quality time, and healthy food—while threatening Waldo if she tries to threaten his job or family. Waldo thus feels indebted to Korgy. She becomes particularly beholden to him because she has low self-esteem, is socially isolated, and is economically disadvantaged.
The more unbalanced Waldo and Korgy’s dynamic becomes, the more guilty, confused, and self-flagellating Waldo becomes. Their relationship only reinforces her negative core beliefs, convincing her that she is indeed impossible to love and that she does want too much. The recurring scenes of Waldo shopping both develop the theme of Consumerism as an Emotional Placeholder and convey how her relationship with Korgy is negatively impacting her psyche. Whenever Korgy makes plans with her, Waldo spends exorbitant amounts of money and time on making herself look as “perfect” as possible. Whenever Korgy disappears from their texting exchanges or cancels their plans, Waldo lapses into another shopping binge, desperate to satiate her longing, upset, and hurt in some other way. If she cannot have Korgy when and how she wants him, she tries to find other tangible products she can obtain with more immediacy.
Despite the sheer number and scope of things Waldo buys, she is never satisfied. The same is true with food, which is an important motif in the text. Repeated scenes of her disordered eating habits illustrate Waldo’s insatiable appetite for love, belonging, and acceptance. Since not even her relationship with Korgy can satisfy these cravings, Waldo overeats foods she knows aren’t good for her. The scene where she tosses Korgy’s health bar in exchange for flat soda captures how Waldo emotionally resorts to what is cheap and accessible. The same is true of her relationships: She accepts others’ mistreatment of her because it is both familiar and easier to handle than the discomfort of demanding better.
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