54 pages • 1 hour read
E. L. JamesFifty Shades Darker
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2012A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 18-22Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 18 Summary
Christian takes Ana to a massive house on the coast. The size of the mansion overwhelms Ana. Christion introduces her to a real estate agent and tells Ana she wants to buy it, tear it down, and build a modern replacement for them. Ana asks to see the house, stating that she finds it charming and would rather keep it, updating it to be more modern and ecofriendly. Christian’s brother can help with the remodel. Christian tells Ana she needs to adapt to being rich if they are going to be together.
They leave the coast and travel to downtown Seattle, heading to a celebratory dinner at Christian’s Mile High Club on the 76th floor of Columbia Tower. Ana and Christian play a sensual, flirty game as they enjoy dinner. This escalates as they finish and go to the elevator. Christian reaches under Ana’s dress to fondle her. They head back to Escala. They have sex.
Christian leaves early the next day for a breakfast meeting. Ana showers and asks Mrs. Jones for the keys to the playroom to get Christian another birthday present. While looking for her favorite tie, she finds a box of photos of all Christian’s previous submissives. She drives to work, and as soon as she sits down, she gets an email from Christian. The two exchange emails for most of the day. After lunch, Ana remembers she is getting a drink with Kate and José after work. She also realizes that she has not heard from Christian in hours.
José and Ana meet and head to a bar for drinks. As they catch up, Ana learns that José has earned a commission from the tourism board. Kate and Ethan meet them at the bar. Kate immediately notices Ana’s weight loss. They chat for a bit over beers, and Kate receives a call from her boyfriend, Elliot, who is also Christian’s brother. Elliot asks to talk to Ana. He tells her that Christian’s helicopter has gone missing.
Chapter 19 Summary
Ana returns with José, Kate, and Elliot to Escala. Grace and Carrick Grey, Christian’s parents, and Mia join the group as they keep vigil waiting for news about Christian. The news coverage on the TV centers on his disappearance. Mrs. Jones brings tea. Ana’s mind goes back to the gift she gave Christian, the marriage proposal, and the house on the coast. She regrets not saying yes.
Grace shrieks as Christian enters the room. He greets his family and hugs Ana. He explains that the helicopter lost its engines over Mount Saint Helen’s. He managed a rough landing; then, he and Ros, his vice president, had to hike to a road and hitch back to Seattle. Carrick, Elliot, and Christian exchange meaningful glances over the possibility of a double engine failure on Christian’s particular model of helicopter. After some discussion of the events, Christian says goodbye to his family and Kate. Ana and Christian get José settled in a guest room.
The two, once alone, tell each other how much they care for one another. Ana tells Christian to open the gift she gave him. It is a Seattle key chain that says “yes” on the back. Ana wishes him happy birthday.
Chapter 20 Summary
Ana tells Christian that she will marry him. Christian sweeps her up in his arms, spinning her around. The two shower and have sex. Ana cries as she orgasms, realizing the depths of her love for this man. The two make their way to bed. Ana accuses him of not stopping to call home because of José. She tells him that is ridiculous, that he kept his family worrying over nothing, and that she loves him completely.
Ana wakes and gets up to make breakfast for Christian on his birthday. José is already up and eating cereal. José comments on the amazing view. Christian comes out and kisses Ana. José and Christian then get into a long discussion about fishing. José leaves to go fishing with his father and Ana’s father, Ray. Christian realizes, after José leaves, that he needs to call Ray and ask for his permission to marry Ana.
Ana then gives Christian a solar powered mini helicopter and the package she prepared from items selected from the playroom. Christian asks if she is sure she wants to go back in there. Ana tells him she does not want him to hit her, but that she wants to go back. The pair retires to the playroom.
Chapter 21 Summary
Ana undresses, and Christian handcuffs her. Christian uses his fingers and a vibrator to bring Ana to orgasm. They then have sex. Ana cries, overwhelmed by her love for Christian. The pair sits on the bed in the playroom talking for hours. Christian asks Ana what she loves about him. Ana gives him a list that includes “so smart and witty and knowledgeable, competent in so many things […] You are the most compassionate man I’ve ever met” (496). They have sex again.
They leave the playroom to shower and find food. Christian retires to his office as Ana makes lunch. Taylor arrives. Ana asks about the helicopter. The wreckage will be delivered to the airfield later in the day. Ana checks her phone to see that Kate has texted that they will catch up at Christian’s birthday dinner that night. Ana emails Christian that lunch is ready.
Christian comes out to see Ana, and comments on the length of Ana’s dress. Christian goes back to his office, returning five minutes later to tell Ana that he just talked to Ray about marrying Ana and Ray wants to talk to Ana. Ana tells Ray how much she loves Christian, that he is her happy ending. Ray agrees to walk Ana down the aisle.
Ana and Christian eat. They then discuss the pictures Ana found. Christian thinks Leila must have taken them out of the safe. He keeps them as insurance against his ex-submissives breaking their nondisclosure agreements. Ana decides to bake Christian a chocolate birthday cake. Ana calls her mom to let her know about the engagement. Ana goes out to get chocolate; at the ATM, she discovers an extra $50,000. She goes to confront Christian but decides to let it go. The two have sex instead of a confrontation.
Ana and Christian go to his parents’ house for his birthday dinner. As soon as they finish greetings, Kate confronts Ana with a copy of the original submissive contract.
Chapter 22 Summary
Kate, Christian, and Ana have a hushed conversation about the contract Kate found in her and Ana’s shared apartment. Christian then tells Kate that he and Ana are engaged. Kate asks Ana if this is really what she wants and if she is genuinely happy. Ana reasons that she has never been so happy.
The trio reenters the party. Ana realizes that Grace knows they are engaged when Grace tells them how happy she is for them. Ana scans the room and sees that Elena Lincoln is there. The housekeeper hands around champagne.
Christian announces to his gathered friends, family, and colleagues that he and Ana are engaged. Ana looks around the room and sees that Elena is shocked and horrified. Carrick and Grace beam and offer congratulations. Mia asks about the ring, and Christian explains they will pick one out later. Ana greets Dr. Flynn and his wife, Rhian. Christian introduces Ana to Ros and her partner, Gwen. The group then heads into the dining room to eat.
Mia pulls Ana aside to give her one of Carrick’s signature lemon martinis. Mia asks for advice about pursuing Kate’s brother, Ethan. Ana tells her to talk to Kate. Ana tries to make her way to the bathroom, only to run into Elena. Elena confronts Ana about how she is inadequate to meet Christian’s needs, saying that only she can understand him and give him what she wants. Ana tells her, “You’re nothing but a sick child molester, and if it were up to me, I’d toss you into the seventh circle of hell and walk away smiling” (520). Elena calls Ana a mousy “gold-digger.” Ana responds by throwing her martini in Elena’s face. Christian interrupts them. Elena states that Christian owes his success to her and that he would be in jail if she had not interceded. Grace overhears part of the conversation and tells Elena to show herself out of her house. Elena does not move, so Grace slaps her and tells her to leave again. Grace and Christian then have a lengthy conversation about his relationship with Elena.
Ana leaves them to talk and goes up to Christian’s childhood bedroom. She broods over Elena and Christian’s mother. When Christian finds her, he states that he finally understands that his relationship with Elena was not right.
Christian leads Ana through the house, pausing to watch the family do some karaoke. He takes her out to the boathouse, which is filled with flowers, miniature lanterns, and string lights. Christian proposes, ring and all. Ana says yes. The two kiss.
The novel ends with Jack Hyde’s narrative. He parked outside of the Grey family home to watch the night unfold. He sits smoking cigarettes and drinking cheap bourbon. He sabotaged the helicopter and vows to bring Ana and Christian down.
Chapters 18-22 Analysis
As the novel nears its conclusion, Christian and Ana become more enmeshed in each other’s lives. Ana realizes that she will not be happy without Christian. Christian realizes that Ana is the most important person in his life. Christian and Taylor safely diffuse the threat from Leila. The couple begins to plan their lives together. The strain from Leila and the crash causes Ana and Christian to bond even more strongly. They begin to think that they are each worthy of the other’s love. Their actions in the subsequent chapters underscore this growth.
Ana and Christian return to the playroom together as a couple, not as a dominant and submissive. The author makes the distinction clear by Ana controlling the invitation and setting parameters around what she wants, no whips, from the beginning. The two engage in kinky sex, but Christian stops when Ana asks. The two then have a conversation tangled together, showing how their relationship has grown outside of the physical. Ana confesses her deep love for Christian and his compassion. Christian accepts her assessment.
Later, Ana leaves the apartment in an outfit of which Christian does not approve. Instead of fighting about it, Ana and Christian let it go. James uses this interaction to show that Christian has let go of some of his control of Ana. He struggles but allows her some autonomy. He also stops when she says no. Christian starts to respect Ana’s need for full consent.
The power dynamics in their relationship have leveled with Christian’s realization of how important Ana is to him. Her acceptance of his marriage proposal demonstrates the commitment they are making to the relationship. It also shows how the trauma of Leila and the crash have more fully bonded them. They manage to get through the exceptional events without losing their relationship. These successes give them more confidence in each other.
The final chapter of the book illustrates the last step for Christian and Ana in prioritizing their future together over the past. As Christian makes the announcement, Ana blushes fiercely, but does not hide. Her confidence in herself and her relationship has grown. This confidence allows her to face Elena. The confrontation between Ana and Elena allows Ana to stand confidently against an adversary. The “mousy” girl is gone. In her place stands a confident woman sure of her relationship with the man she loves. Elena refuses to let Christian go, but Ana tells her how terrible she was to the 15-year-old she abused. Christian’s confrontation with Elena and conversation with his mother show his growth from self-loathing to self-acceptance. He finally realizes that Elena lied to him, abused him, and controlled him for years. His conversation with Grace helps him see that he is worthy of love and respect, and Elena was an abuser.
The proposal in the boat house brings the couple into a fairy tale. James lets the reader enjoy the picture of perfection before throwing in the wrench of Jack Hyde. His reappearance in the final act shows that though Christian and Ana are ready to move forward, they may not be able to cut ties with their past so easily. James does not let them have their happy ending. Jack ruminates on his own past as he sits brooding in the car, thinking about the things Ana and Christian have taken from him. He feels no remorse, only anger. He remains the foil to Christian’s growing happiness. James uses Jack to demonstrate the problems with a refusal to grow and learn.
The denouement, or conclusion, of the novel shows two maturing adults building a future together despite their own complicated issues. Ana and Christian happily step into their next chapter, hoping to leave their trauma and emotional baggage behind. James allows them the night together, but not yet their happily ever after. The foreshadowing of conflict to come builds tension for the last novel in the trilogy.
Related Titles
By E. L. James
