The Only Woman in the Room

Chapters 41 and 42 emphasize the urgency with which Hedy and George must see their invention implemented. Chapter 41 is especially important; as a piece of historical fiction, the novel must routinely root itself in historical moments and use them to advance the narrative and/or the development of the protagonist. The attack on Pearl Harbor not only—in the novel and in real life—brings the war directly to America, but it increases Hedy’s desperation for her torpedo system to be adopted. It is a superior system that could save lives, yet they must wait months to even hear anything. This communicates the bureaucratic element behind wars; Hedy is rendered impotent because of procedure and paperwork, despite her desperation to help.

Furthermore, Hedy takes every loss of life so personally because she interprets each one as the result of her inability to act. She is ruthless with herself, constantly circling back to those evenings when she was forced to face the men behind the war and blaming herself for not stopping them. This conveys Hedy’s empathy and her desire to leave a meaningful mark on the world. Therefore, when their torpedo system is rejected by the Navy in Chapter 42, she refuses to give up. George’s dejected acceptance highlights Hedy’s resilient optimism, proving that she is not as easily dissuaded—she has a lifetime of experience making things happen for herself.

Chapter 43 offers an anticlimax through Hedy and George’s meeting in Washington. The council’s refusal to implement their torpedo system is a blatant and gross act of prejudice; though they refuse to admit it explicitly, the council’s condescension towards Hedy indicates that they don’t take her invention seriously simply because it was crafted by a woman. The implication is that the army cannot admit the flaws in their existing system, let alone allow an actress to offer a solution. When the council patronizes Hedy by recommending that she “stick to […] films” (236) or sell war bonds, they are demanding that Hedy work within the confines society expects her to. Specifically, selling bonds during WWII was commonly understood as women’s work: Because women could not fight directly, it was a way for women to “fight” at home.

The novel explores the way sexism permeates every worldly institution but is most successful in demonstrating its role in wartime gender politics. Men like Fritz are encouraged to do everything—including die—for the war effort, but women are expected to maintain the domestic sphere. In Hedy’s case, focusing on films means remaining silent and beautiful to distract others from the horrors of war. This scene breaks Hedy—it is the first time she doesn’t have any fight left in her. This change is marked by Hedy’s posture; George leans forwards to argue more, but she leans back into her chair, as if to retreat. In doing so, Hedy abandons her endeavor to be seen for who she is and falls into the comfortable façade the world has impressed upon her.

Chapter 40 combines the thematic importance of performativity, social responsibility, and sexism during Hedy’s appearance at the victory show. The chapter also parallels the opening chapter: In both, Hedy looks out into a crowd, embodying a character. This time, though, Hedy performs a version of herself: her most familiar mask, the glamorous actress Hedy Lamarr. Her meeting with the council taught her that she can never be taken seriously—because of her beauty, her reputation, and her profession. Her performance on stage symbolizes her acceptance of her role in the world but also reveals her desire to help in any way she can. Instead of retreating from the war effort out of spite, she uses her platform to aid it. Even the orchestrated kiss with the young sailor is indicative of what the world expects from her; she is to rally the troops with her beauty and embody the male fantasy.

However, this exchange is presented through a complicated lens; though it insinuates that Hedy’s body is the greatest thing she can offer, the excitement over the kiss raises a record amount of money—enough money to make a real difference for the Allied forces. This, then, communicates to Hedy that though the world refuses to recognize all of her talents, some come with great privilege and responsibility. Therefore, the novel ends on a note of tragic irony in that the persona Hedy spent her entire life trying to overcome may be the only way for her to make a difference in the world. For better or for worse, the many masks Hedy wears brought her to this moment, and this moment is the greatest blow she can deal to the Third Reich.