Grown

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2020

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Download PDF

Part 2, Chapters 38-44Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 2, Chapter 38 Summary: “Witness Statement”

In the present day, police take a witness statement from the doorman at Korey’s apartment. The doorman reports that Enchanted went upstairs to see Korey on the night of the murder, but “[she] never came back downstairs” (156).

Part 2, Chapter 39 Summary: “Juice Box”

Korey begins to mold Enchanted into a different girl. He orders her to wear more designer brand clothes, lose belly fat, whiten her teeth, and practice walking in high heels. Enchanted feels like her music career is being forgotten, and “All [they] practice is how to look like anyone but [her]” (159). She feels “used” from being woken up again and again in the middle of the night for sex, and Korey makes fun of her body in front of his friends and orders her to drink. Enchanted tries to contact Gab, but gets no answer.

Part 2, Chapter 40 Summary: “Friction”

As the tour continues, Korey reveals more dangerous, abusive behaviors. He yells at Enchanted after performances and deprives her of sleep. He says that he can’t wait for Enchanted to turn 18 so he won’t have to deal with her parents anymore, and says her parents “practically begged [him] to take [her]. One less mouth to feed” (163). He claims that he is paying all of their bills, and that Enchanted’s parents are just leeching off of him.

Part 2, Chapter 41 Summary: “Decline”

Enchanted texts Shea, who mentions that Enchanted is “not calling [Mom] like [she’s] supposed to” (165). Korey comes to Enchanted with her Flounder toy, apologizes for yelling and explains that he just “[gets] so mad at the thought of anyone taking advantage of [her]” (166), including her own parents. Korey promises that as soon as Enchanted turns 18, he’ll marry her. As he speaks, Enchanted’s mother tries to call, but Enchanted “[hits] decline and [continues] listening to the life Korey plans to make for [them]” (168).

Part 2, Chapter 42 Summary: “Group Chat: Settlement”

In the Will and Willow group chat, the teenagers talk about news of a woman coming forward to accuse Korey Fields of inappropriate behavior. They wonder if any of it is true, and whether or not Korey is doing the same things to Enchanted right now. Aisha remarks that no one in Enchanted’s family has heard from her lately.

Part 2, Chapter 43 Summary: “Candy”

Details begin to emerge about the allegations against Korey. A woman named Candy Cole claims that when she was 14, Korey locked her in her room, raped her, and hit her. Promoters start to cancel Korey’s shows, and his assistant Jessica suggests that they send Enchanted home, because having “another young singer around while [Korey is] going through all this” (174) isn’t a good look. Korey refuses, and pleads with Enchanted to stay with him and not abandon him while the whole world is coming after him. Enchanted promises to stay, calling Korey her “new home.”

Part 2, Chapter 44 Summary: “Grown”

Enchanted’s mother and father leave more than 40 voicemails over a span of weeks, but she never returns their calls. Her mother is angry that Enchanted isn’t answering, but her messages are full of worry and desperation. She says that “[Enchanted’s] father is downstairs,” and “they’re hurting him” (180).

Part 2, Chapters 38-44 Analysis

Beyond the reach of her family, and protected from accountability by fame and money, Korey employs more sinister tactics of abuse and control over Enchanted. He humiliates her in front of his friends, gives her alcohol, and deprives her of sleep to make her easier to control. He also continues to isolate her emotionally, making her believe that her family doesn’t care about her, and that they are financially dependent on him. His tactics are working, because with a little charm and a few tears, he has convinced Enchanted to stay. His cycle of affection and abuse has made Enchanted emotionally and materially dependent on him, and he has separated her from anyone who might help her. Even Jessica, Korey’s assistant, prioritizes his needs over Enchanted’s, only suggested an end to their relationship because of the danger it poses to Korey’s career. Through Jessica, Jackson begins to indict those in the entertainment industries who aid and abet the abuse committed by powerful figures. Korey promises Enchanted a wedding and calls her beautiful, and she becomes willing to accept all of his unpleasant, abusive, controlling aspects. By the end of Chapter 44, Enchanted actively ignores her parents and sister, and the growing panic in her mother’s voicemails shows how her parents have completely lost control of this situation.

These chapters also set the stage for the victim-blaming that will befall Enchanted in the last half of the novel. Candy Cole is just one of many girls who have accused Korey of abuse and sexual assault, but she is the first one the reader hears about. In the Will and Willow group chat and in Korey’s inner circle of friends, people are quick to blame Candy instead of Korey: for “not looking fourteen,” for “knowing what she was doing,” for just seeing “dollar signs” (170). The people blaming Candy outnumber those blaming Korey, and Enchanted gets a peek at what will happen to her in the court of public opinion when her own statements against Korey come to light. Despite the fact that Candy and Enchanted are children when they suffer abuse, they face greater public scorn that the adult Korey, who is inured from accountability by his fame and wealth.