The Only Woman in the Room

In Chapters 36 and 37, Hedy’s identity as an actress is usurped by her new identity as a hobbyist inventor. This is a conscious, concerted effort made by Benedict, whose overwhelming goal of the novel is to usurp Hedy’s acting legacy with one that recognizes her intelligence. In Chapter 36, the meeting with George emphasizes the triviality of life in Hollywood while lives are lost to the war. Hedy and George’s minds are preoccupied from the festivities, both obsessing over what they can do for the Allies. In expressing this, Hedy finds an ally in George, leading to their partnership. Most importantly, the two chapters demonstrate Hedy’s brilliance; with inspiration from her background in music, she creates something no other military has yet to come up with. Though others belittle her ability to invent because of her lack of formal training, Benedict takes pains to outline that Hedy’s unusual experiences have led to this.

Raised to be curious, having been seated with great scientific minds, and having more empathy and grit than anyone would expect of her, Hedy’s informal training leads her to the moment of solving the torpedo problem in Chapter 38. In Chapter 37, the image of Hedy as an actress above all else is intentionally undone as George takes in her messy workspace. When he admits that he thought the floors would be covered in “makeup, jewelry, and gowns” (204) instead of books and sketches, George comments upon a typical assumption; actresses, especially those as well-known and prolific as Hedy, are expected to be vapid and simple, not curious and inventive. Therefore, this chapter subtly alludes to how misconceptions based upon patriarchal standards are harmful to the advancement of women in the sciences. Even George, who respects Hedy, is surprised to learn how advanced her work is. 

As Hedy works relentlessly in Chapter 38, the novel articulates that her burden is a burden of knowledge. She recognizes that she is uniquely positioned to make her invention a reality, and the pressure to do so consumes her. Her ceaseless work ethic indicates that her guilt over not speaking out against Nazism earlier on is still her main drive. This is one reason she is so relieved to finally figure out how to make her invention work; it proves that she is capable and gives her a tangible thing to work on to alleviate her guilt. However, George’s kiss undercuts Hedy’s success. Hedy entered into a scientific partnership with George endeavoring to be taken seriously and to be respected. George breaches this trust, sending the message that Hedy can only be a romantic interest to men, never a friend or partner.

However, George’s kiss is less about his desire and more about gendered expectations that he is attempting to prescribe to when he admits that he doesn’t know why he did it. With this, Benedict communicates that men, too, fall victim to overwhelming pressure to maintain patriarchal standards in cross-sex friendships. Society has trained George to view women as receptors of his desire, and though he actively works against it, he sometimes inadvertently acts on this conditioning. Hedy’s willingness to forgive George reveals her understanding of this on some level—she cannot begrudge him when she is also working to undo the very same conditioning. Hedy has a pattern of offering absolution to others—whether they deserve it or not—because that is what she seeks most for herself. 

Chapters 39 and 40 emphasize what is at stake personally for Hedy in this invention. Aside from the obvious and most important benefit of shortening the war, if this invention is a success, it will prove to Hedy and the world that she isn’t just “a pretty face” (217). Therefore, when Boski arrives and argues that Hedy cannot create anything because of her beauty, the woman touches upon Hedy’s greatest insecurity. Boski’s comment is indicative of a wider phenomenon that the novel tackles repeatedly, that beautiful women can be nothing more than beautiful. Deeper within that, the comment betrays a social conditioning that relies upon women perpetuating these ideas within themselves and projecting them onto other women. Boski attempts to do this, but Hedy breaks the cycle by responding with patience and empathy. This interaction is symbolic of Hedy’s lifelong goal; by showing Boski that she is indeed capable of great genius, she could also show the world.

Chapter 40 reiterates this sentiment as George and Hedy learn that their invention has been recommended for Naval consideration. Hedy dreams of a world in which she is so much more than beautiful. However, the pulls of her social responsibility cause her to condemn herself for that dream. This is a pattern for Hedy; she becomes consumed by her immediate problems and then feels awful for not acting to save or protect others. Just as working with Fritz allowed her freedom but resulted in lasting guilt over the suffering she might have caused, Hedy is again grappling over her self-interest; she struggles to recognize that she can hope the invention frees her from her mask and end the war.