The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Oliver’s characterization is much more direct than Hadley’s. Physically, he is tall, with hair that is a little too long, and Hadly finds his accent attractive. Indirectly, his willingness to help Hadley and the older lady on the plane reveals his chivalry and politeness. The powdered sugar on his shirt points to his lack of fussiness and generally easygoing nature. Even the fact that he leaves too much money on his seat to cover the cost of the liquor he stole from the beverage cart suggests that while he may be a bit of a rule-breaker, he has integrity and defaults to honesty.

However, Oliver’s body language and facial expressions suggest that he is deeply uncomfortable about discussing his parents, and his anger at his own father—revealed when Hadley finds him at the funeral—is the reason for this. Because Oliver’s family does not express negative emotions or confront their problems directly, he has become deeply apprehensive about dealing with hard feelings and problems. He has long felt that he must lie to protect others, and being with Hadley—who is characteristically open about her feelings—allows him to forget about his pain and become more open and honest as well. Although he does not reach the level of acceptance with his own father that Hadley does with hers, he does begin to accept her claims that parents are flawed and need time to figure things out.

In one significant way, Oliver acts as a foil for Hadley. She is embittered about attending her father’s wedding to another woman, but Oliver is attending the funeral of his father, who was a serial cheater during his lifetime. This contrast helps Hadley to put her life into perspective, for she realizes that she is grateful to be attending her father’s wedding rather than his funeral. Furthermore, Oliver’s claim that Andrew Sullivan is brave for leaving his marriage instead of engaging in infidelity eventually helps Hadley to realize that her family might have been miserable if Andrew had come home and tried to forget Charlotte out of some sense of obligation. In addition, Oliver’s love of airports and airplanes contrasts with Hadley’s dislike of them. Though she feels “stuck” in such places, he feels “suspended,” as though these places offer a reprieve from having to worry about the future. This detail also provides a clue that he, too, is going to London for something he wishes he could avoid.

Hadley’s father initially seems like an antagonist, given that his actions deeply challenge Hadley and lead to her change in perspective, but in reality, he is a static character who does his best to be loving and honest and to support his daughter at all times. The narrator characterizes him directly, describing him as a “dreamer,” for he follows his dream to teach abroad at Oxford: a trip that he only undertakes at Kate’s insistence. However, because he meets and falls in love with Charlotte on this trip, Hadley finds herself embroiled in an internal conflict that she struggles to resolve, and this process ultimately leads to her growth as she learns to accept present realities rather than longing for the past. Andrew does not change, but Hadley’s perception of his choices does.

Andrew has always communicated with Hadley through books, by reading to her and giving her books with important themes and topics. He always honors Hadley’s feelings, and when it seems as though she does not want to be part of his life, he does not force her to reconnect. In this sense, he is and has always been a very respectful father. He knows when to speak and when to be silent, and he allows Hadley the space she needs to process her feelings for Oliver after she goes to the funeral. When he listens to Hadley, “it’s as if he has nowhere else to be. It’s as if nothing could possibly be more important than this” (192). Hadley has missed the warmth of his attention and love and regrets distancing herself from her father. Andrew’s love for and treatment of Hadley does not change, but she becomes more capable of understanding and accepting him when she doesn’t have her mother nearby and is forced out of her own comfort zone.

Kate, Hadley’s mother, is only infrequently portrayed in the text. Although she still harbors some anger toward her ex-husband, she has largely forgiven Andrew because she understands the unpredictable nature of life and love. Although she has started a new relationship with Harrison Doyle, she has rejected his three marriage proposals, likely because she does not wish to further upset Hadley, who is very angry with her father for breaking up the family and remarrying. Ironically, it is Kate who encouraged Andrew to accept the teaching appointment at Oxford, and the irony of this detail emphasizes how unpredictable love can be.

Kate functions largely as a source of emotional support for Hadley, who reaches out to her mother when she feels “lost.” Hadley’s first thought is to call Kate when she gets lost in Paddington and cannot find the church where Oliver’s father’s funeral is being held. As a result, Hadley learns to rely on herself and on her own intuition rather than on her mother. Like her husband, Andrew, Kate is a static character, but she is a flat character as well: unchanging and uncomplicated. Her primary purpose in the text is to add nuance to Hadley’s understanding of Andrew, and this dynamic becomes apparent when she teaches Hadley about the nature of love and marriage. The fact that both Andrew and Kate make the same claims about love helps to convince Hadley that they are correct, and she also feels grateful that both parents take her feelings for Oliver seriously and support her.