The Paradise Problem

Ray looks far less intimidating and far shorter than Anna imagined him to be. Both Ray and Janet make passive-aggressive comments about how long it has been since they’ve seen their son, and Anna counters with innuendo about her reasons for keeping him at home. Janet comments on Anna’s hair—“so pink!”—and then loudly disparages a group of employees who have asked the company to revise its policy prohibiting nonstandard hair colors and other aspects of physical appearance, which Janet derides as being “trashy” and “unappetizing.” As they walk away, Liam offers tips for dealing with his parents, urging Anna to defer to him and just stand there and smile. She reflects that the closeness that she and her own father share is more valuable than any private island could be.

The bungalow provides privacy from the outside world but has no privacy inside. There is only one bed, and the shower has no door. Anna states that they should just deal with the situation like adults to avoid suspicion. Although she is still trying to keep the mood light, she grows increasingly dismayed by Liam’s negative outlook. Anna showers then turns her back so that Liam can take his turn, but she cannot resist peeking at him. When Liam catches her looking, she apologizes with embarrassment, and he admits that he peeked, too.

Liam flashes back to his childhood, recalling when he played Little League and his father constantly yelled at him for losing focus. Now, he feels that his attraction to Anna is causing him to lose focus on his mission to convince his family that the two of them have an authentic marriage. When Anna emerges from the bungalow wearing a revealing dress in preparation for the upcoming cocktail party, Liam continues to struggle with his attraction. She tells him that she kept the tag attached to the dress so that she could return it after the trip, but he insists that she remove it, even though he admires how horrified she is by the price. Her sticker shock reminds him how distant she is from the wealthy world of his family.

Anna gives Liam advice about how to behave affectionately toward her to create the impression that they are in love. At the party, they are greeted by Liam’s brother Jake, and by Alex’s wife, Blaire. Blair makes bawdy comments and immediately takes a liking to Anna, pulling her away. Anna is taken to greet Alex and Blaire’s children.

Jake is laughing about the façade that Liam and Anna have to maintain, but Liam is worried. He reflects on “how critical this farce [is]” for him and all his siblings (85). He ruminates on the past, thinking that Jake and Charlie were lucky to avoid his father’s harsh parenting, which he received full force. When Liam was 15, he created a computer inventory system that could be used across all the Weston Foods stores, so his father pulled him from school and hired private tutors so that Liam could implement the program full-time. He did everything that his father demanded of him, but when things went wrong at the company, his father pinned the blame on him.

Now, Liam calls Anna over so that he can introduce her to his sister, Charlie, but Alex, Ray, and Janet are also approaching.

Charlie embraces Anna and calls her a “sister.” They chat easily, though Anna worries when Charlie asks her about Cambodia (due to Liam’s lies about Anna’s background). When Charlie compliments Anna’s hair, Janet pointedly asks how Anna’s professors “react” to the color, but Anna claims that they are too busy being impressed with her doctoring skills. When Anna makes a bad joke about broken bones, she tries to distract the group by switching the topic to Liam’s attempts to train for a triathlon. This prompts Ray to demand that they race at dawn. As the conversation continues, Anna uses a fact from Psychology Today to create the impression that she knows about medicine. Her comments earn adoration from Charlie and disgust from Ray, who then asks Liam if the reporter from Forbes has found him yet. Alex anxiously jumps in, offering to meet with the reporter himself.

Liam and Anna escape the party and walk on the beach toward the bungalow. Liam admits that Ray has always made everything in the family about himself and has always forced the boys to take competitive roles toward one another. He states that Alex has always been his father’s willing henchman. Anna wonders aloud whether Alex is smart enough to sabotage Liam to keep him out of the company, but Liam says that if he were smart, he would know not to try.

As they get ready for bed, Anna assures Liam that she falls asleep and doesn’t move an inch, so he won’t even know they’re in the same bed. However, she is mortified by the necessity of wearing the skimpy pajamas that Vivi bought for her. As she and Liam joke together, Anna thinks that despite his problematic family, she likes spending time with Liam, whom she still calls West.

Liam is exhausted when he meets Ray for a run; Anna did not keep to her side of the bed, and her snuggling kept him awake all night. He is so distracted by the thought of her that he has trouble focusing on the business details that Ray is describing.

Later, Anna and Liam prepare to go kayaking with the family. Because she knows that Liam was up early to run, she thoughtfully brings him a breakfast sandwich. When Alex taunts Liam and looks derisively at Anna, Liam lets his sense of competitiveness take over and agrees to a kayak race. On the water, Liam attempts to take control of his and Anna’s boat, gaining a substantial lead over Alex and Blaire; however, when Anna insists on paddling too, she derails his progress. She reminds him that they are supposed to be having fun, and when she sees a sea turtle next to the boat, she drops her paddle and falls in while trying to retrieve it. By the time Liam pulls her back into the boat, they have drifted far from the family group.

As they float together, Anna offers her perspective on the family. She observes that because Ray is deliberately trying to keep Liam and Alex at odds with one another, a better strategy for Liam would be to show Alex more kindness. Anna explains that she tried studying premed because of her mother. Her mother was an attorney who left David, Anna’s father, because she believed herself to be above his humble, blue-collar roots. Being a medical student was Anna’s way of trying to prove herself to her mother. However, once she realized that she had chosen her major for the wrong reasons, she decided to pursue art instead. Now, Liam is moved by the ease with which Anna analyzes his family dynamics and talks candidly about her own.

They return to shore. Jake has been stung by something and needs medical attention. Anna reluctantly looks at the wound and announces that ice is the best treatment. Jake teases her by asking whether she wants to drain the wound or give him an IV. Liam changes the subject, and they get ready to return to the bungalow. As they do, Alex calls out to ask whether their fifth anniversary is coming up soon. They both reply that it is but name different dates.

Liam and Anna agree that they both need to look at their situation more seriously and resolve to be more affectionate in public to derail Alex’s suspicions. As they discuss the people that Anna must prepare to meet, they see GW, Alex’s youngest son, walking along the bridge to the bungalow; the boy is dangerously close to falling into the water. Liam leaves to return GW to his parents. While he is gone, Anna researches the people that she is about to meet. Suddenly, she gets an email from her manager and learns that three of her paintings are being placed in a gallery. Enthused by this positive development in her art career, she dresses elaborately for that evening’s party and is pleased by Liam’s admiring reaction.

As they join the party, Anna tells Liam that her paintings will be shown in the gallery. She impresses him by charming the guests that she researched, and as she realizes how easy it is for her to slide into a life of cocktail parties and charm, she worries that she is more like her mother than she thought.

Charlie draws attention to Liam and Anna by wishing them a happy fifth anniversary, putting all eyes on them. Glasses clink, and they realize that they have to kiss. Liam kisses Anna and dips her backward.

Liam is shaken by the chemistry they both feel during their kiss. They are interrupted by an ex-boyfriend of Anna’s, whom she introduces as Jamie. As they banter, Liam grows jealous. Just as Jamie takes the hint and leaves, Janet arrives with two glasses of champagne. She hands one to Liam but keeps the other for herself as she toasts their anniversary, so Liam pointedly hands his glass to Anna. Janet insists that they work an anniversary party into the week’s itinerary; however, as soon as Anna agrees, Janet turns on her and accuses her of stealing the spotlight from Charlie and wanting a party “on someone else’s dime” (139). Ray interrupts to ask Liam to talk to the editor from Forbes, and Janet is distracted from bullying Anna when she sees a server serving a non-Weston brand of soft drink. Anna is shaken by their cruelty and selfishness.

Ray introduces Liam to Ellis Sikora, the editor from Forbes, calling his son “the future CEO of Weston Foods” (141). Liam avoids confirming this, saying instead that he advises his father but does not need to be on the payroll. This statement infuriates Ray, who continues behaving as though Liam is preparing to return to the company. Ellis observes that Liam has never commented publicly on the “PISA scandal,” and Liam says that he never will. Continuing to stoke and evade Ray’s growing rage, Liam suggests that the wedding would be the wrong setting to make any announcement about the company’s future, then departs.

Liam finds Anna on the beach, talking to Reagan, who is upset by the idea that her friends are doing things without her while she is away from home. Anna listens with empathy and consoles her by telling her about how she draws mean cartoons of Ricky, who fired her because she refused to date him. As Liam watches them together, he feels a rush of protective affection for Anna even as he feels guilt for his jealousy about Jamie.