The Woman in Cabin 10

by

Ruth Ware

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The Woman in Cabin 10: Chapter 3 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Walking through the London streets in her pajamas, Lo feels safer than she did in her apartment, because “out here, someone would hear you cry.” She wanders aimlessly in the rain until she finds herself outside her boyfriend Judah’s apartment and lets herself in, even though he’s away for work. She falls asleep easily in his bed, comforted by the smell of him.
Lo fears being alone more than anything else. That’s likely why she gravitates to her boyfriend’s flat and feels safe enough to finally fall asleep in his space, even though he’s not there.
Themes
Entrapment and Isolation Theme Icon
Trauma, Mental Illness, and Resilience Theme Icon
Lo is awakened by the sound of a woman screaming and the weight of someone holding her down, grappling with her hands. She grabs the bedside lamp and smashes it into the attacker. Then she hears Judah calling her name and turns on the light to see blood all over her boyfriend’s face and beard. Gradually she realizes what’s happened—he’d come home early, and she’d semi-consciously panicked and attacked him. The screaming she’d heard was herself.
Lo’s violent reaction to Judah’s unexpected return shows that she’s still deeply shaken by the burglary; she couldn’t distinguish between real and imagined threats in her barely conscious state.
Themes
Perception vs. Reality Theme Icon
Trauma, Mental Illness, and Resilience Theme Icon
After Lo and Judah get home from the emergency room, they’re in bed together, and Jude brings up a conversation they’d had on New Year’s Eve—he wants them to move in together. Lo says she is still thinking about it. Before going to sleep, Jude wearily tells Lo that he turned down a job in New York because of her.
Given that Lo has been putting off a big decision about their relationship for more than half a year, she clearly has hesitations about committing to him. At the same time, Jude is putting his life on hold for her.
Themes
Entrapment and Isolation Theme Icon
Ambition and Compassion Theme Icon