The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

This final group of chapters explores Andrew’s and Kate’s view on The Unpredictability of Life and Love. This idea is further reinforced when Hadley laments having sought Oliver out at his father’s funeral, for her dad reassures her, “Love isn’t supposed to make sense. It’s completely illogical” (194). As Hadley finally opens up to her father, it become clear that both he and Kate have taken a healthy and pragmatic view of their unexpected divorce, for they still claim to love each other even now, although the feeling has shifted from what it used to be. The sudden and illogical nature of Andrew’s unexpected love for Charlotte also stands as objective evidence that his daughter is now experiencing a similar phenomenon, and this implicit connection allows Hadley to let go of her resentment and gain a deeper understanding of his perspective. Additionally, the fact that his new home features prominent pictures of his Connecticut backyard suggests that he was happy in his first marriage and could never have predicted what would happen when he went abroad.

The Inevitability of Fate is further emphasized when Hadley herself admits, “There are so many ways it could all have turned out differently” (227). Similarly, an intricate cascade of coincidences has to align in order for Hadley and Oliver to meet, and then to find each other twice more before the day is through. In addition to these external events, Hadley must also learn to trust her intuition in a strange city and move beyond her mother’s help to chart her own course through life; likewise, Oliver learns to be honest with himself and others despite his discomfort with such an open, candid approach. Thus, each character provides vital assistance to the other at just the right time, and this dynamic suggests that their meeting was always destined to occur.

The novel’s main conflict is revealed to be the internal conflict that Hadley experiences regarding her father’s second marriage. While she initially holds great anger towards Andrew, her father is not the antagonist of the story. It is only when Hadley learns to see her parents as people who are prone to The Unpredictability of Life and Love that she can finally begin to accept The Inevitability of Fate. As a result, she is better able to deal with the painful changes in her life. Thus, the true change that occurs in the novel is within the protagonist herself, for Hadley begins to revise her perceptions of the people in her life and accepts that the world will always serve up unexpected challenges and changes.

Finally, Hadley’s growth as a character is confirmed when she encourages her mom to marry Harrison. At this point in the novel, she has learned to think of her parents as people rather than as parents. Her broadening worldview allows her to recognize that Kate and Andrew have personal lives that go beyond their relationship to her, and as she gains new maturity, she prioritizes their happiness over her own aversion to change. The significance of this inner shift is illustrated when Hadley “gives herself over” (223) to laughter at the thought of Harrison proposing on the big screen at a baseball game, and she acknowledges that “[i]t feels wonderful, this letting go” (223). Having learned how unpredictable life and love can be, Hadley assures her mom that saying yes is simple, because Kate and Harrison are in love. She can acknowledge that her parents are just as susceptible to life’s unpredictability as she is, and this allows her to “let go” and accept changes in her life more gracefully and readily.