One Plus One: A Novel

As the novel’s protagonist, Jess Thomas is a dynamic and round character who embodies resilience in the face of relentless hardship. A single mother defined by her fierce optimism and unwavering devotion to her children, she navigates a life of constant financial precarity. Her identity is rooted in her roles as a mother, cleaner, and bartender, and her low-paying occupations ground the novel in the socioeconomic realities of the working poor. Jess’s primary motivation is to provide a better future for her daughter, Tanzie, and her stepson, Nicky. This drive is so powerful that it leads her to a significant moral compromise. Believing it is the only way to secure Tanzie’s scholarship, Jess takes a large sum of money that Ed drunkenly leaves in a taxi.

Jess’s defining trait is what her best friend, Nathalie, calls her “frankly misguided optimism” (11). This outlook is not a naive denial of her difficult situation but a necessary survival mechanism. She continually tells her children that things will “All Work Out” (39), creating a shield of hope against the harsh realities of their lives, from bullying to poverty. However, this relentless self-reliance also isolates her, making it difficult to accept help.