In Five Years

“My name is Dannie Kohan. And I believe in living by numbers.” 

These two sentences are Dannie’s direct introduction of herself to the reader. They are interesting in terms of form as they are both very simple, straightforward, declarative sentences. Also interesting is Dannie’s self-assessment as someone who lives “by numbers,” which gives the reader an early clue into the careful, controlled, and rational way Dannie organizes her life.

“Bella is spoiled, mercurial, and more than a little bit magical. It’s not just me. Everywhere she goes people fall at her feet. She is the easiest to love, and gives love freely. But she’s fragile, too. A membrane of skin stretches so thinly over her emotions it’s always threatening to burst.” 

Dannie’s early introduction of Bella stands in stark contrast to her own self-description. The description establishes Bella as somehow other than Dannie, suggesting that Bella has a whimsical quality that is accompanied by a general weakness and fragility. The reader will come to understand that Dannie views emotion-driven decision making as weakness.

“I tell him that when I stepped off the elevator and saw all the endless movement, all the frenzied bustle, I felt as if I were at home. It’s not hyperbole, he can tell.”

Dannie’s job at Wachtell is one of the few things in her life that stays stable and positive as the novel develops. Though her experience elsewhere is very often marked by a feeling of not-belonging, the busy, high-pressure environment of the firm is one that genuinely thrills her and one in which she feels sure and confident in herself.