The Golden Spoon

“But they try so hard, they want so desperately to be perfect, to win, so you have to give them that.”

Betsy adopts a condescending view of the contestants, indicating that she sees herself as different—better—than they are. She has achieved fame and success, while their lot is to strive for it. Still, in her role as “America’s Grandmother,” Betsy knows that she has to at least appear sympathetic and supportive.

“Fun is just fleeting, a momentary pleasure. It comes in on a cloud and evaporates before you can even recognize it for what it is. Success is different. It is something you can hold on to, something you can count and that goes with you everywhere like a designer handbag.”

As Hannah prepares to depart for the competition, she ponders her boyfriend’s suggestion that she focus on having fun. The 21-year-old Hannah reveals herself to be a shrewd observer of what it takes to succeed. Throughout the competition, she struggles to adjust her definition of success despite the danger her obsession leads her into through her inappropriate relationship with Archie Morris, a judge in the competition.

“What is baking, I remind myself, other than a way to show others you care about them.”

Peter settles into his room at Grafton Manor and considers what baking means to him. Content with his family, Peter sees the purpose of baking as a way of demonstrating one’s love and affection for one’s family. Unlike the other contestants, Peter maintains a grounded focus on his family rather than on achieving success. Ultimately, this saves Peter from the dangerous consequences that the competition brings for some of the other contestants.

“I’m sure we are all happy to be here, but it also feels a bit like a competition already, like we are all vying to be noticed by her. I wonder whether she is actually judging us based on tonight. She is certainly deciding which of us she likes, who is going to be easy to get along with, who is going to be difficult, and who is going to flame out.”

During the welcome dinner, Lottie recognizes the competitive atmosphere brewing before the actual competition begins. While the other contestants attempt to impress Betsy, Lottie recognizes Betsy’s judgmental attitude toward the contestants. Due to their past as children and connection as foil characters, Lottie can see through Betsy’s performance and never attempts to seek Betsy’s approval.

“You must know how to lose, and to learn when you lose, he’d always told her. It’s the only way you can come back to win.”

As the first day of the competition begins, Betsy considers her father’s words of advice on how to lose gracefully and learn from losing experiences. As much as Betsy invokes these words to bolster her rivalry with Archie, they also gesture at her attempt to control the way she remembers her father.

“When I am in the process of baking, I go to another place. It’s the only time I feel this way. Most of the time I am full of self-doubt and self-criticism. But when I’m baking something, I get so involved in whatever it is that I’m making that I disappear into it. The experience feels almost divine, the kind of thing they talk about at church.”

During her first bake, Hannah discusses her passion for baking, which fuels her ambition and desire to succeed. Hannah views baking as a means of gaining confidence and compares baking to a “divine,” religious experience. Hannah’s self-confidence and focused ambition lead her to ignore the dangers that threaten her place in the competition and her well-being.

“Baking is like playing jazz—once you have the basics down, sometimes it’s better to improvise.”

Pradyumna presents his perspective on baking as an improvisational exercise. Unlike the meticulous and prepared Gerald, Pradyumna enjoys the unpredictable element of baking. Pradyumna’s baking style characterizes his personality and approach to life, which leads him to flit from one hobby to another to distract himself from deeper feelings of depression.

“‘This recipe seems daunting, but you can’t look at the whole picture, just go step by step,’ she said once.”

Stella works on her first bake, which is inspired by Betsy Martin. She repeats Betsy Martin’s words of encouragement and reflects on what Betsy symbolizes for her. Traumatized by her experiences in foster care, Stella seeks comfort in a mother figure, a fact that leads her to seek connection with older women like Betsy. As the novel progresses, Stella learns to rely on herself to protect herself from harm and becomes a comforting figure for Hannah.

“She couldn’t remember the last time she had baked for pleasure the way she used to. The kitchen had once been a place of relaxation and peace. Everything was just so different now.”

After the first day of filming wraps, Betsy heads to the kitchen for a bottle of brandy. She reflects on how abandoned the manor’s kitchen has been since she has achieved success as a baker. Once a symbol of Betsy’s passion for baking, the kitchen now remains barren as a symbol of Betsy’s loss of this passion, an effect of her focus on fame and success over passion. Given what Lottie and Betsy reveal later on, this is also a case of a partly invented memory, since Lottie remembers Betsy’s presence in the kitchen as anything but calming.

“With baking you are forced to exist only in the moment or whatever you are making won’t turn out. There was no fear in baking, I told myself.”

After enjoying a drink with the other contestants, Stella returns to her room and contemplates what baking means for her. Stella struggles with panic attacks in the aftermath of her traumatic childhood and sexual assault. Stella sees baking as a means of escape from her anxiety and enters the competition focused on finding herself after leaving her career.

“So I have been spending my nights wandering Grafton, looking for something intangible that will bring me back to the night she disappeared.”

On day two of the competition, Lottie reveals her true motivation for entering the competition: to reconnect to her childhood at Grafton Manor and discover what happened to her mother. Through Lottie, Maxwell adds to the suspense of the novel as readers question what happened to Lottie’s mother. As Lottie searches for information about her mother, she seeks to reconnect with her identity and discover her origins.

“There is an art to finding a good distraction, one that will keep you from sinking into the abyss. There needs to be some action incorporated into it, and it needs to involve other people, so nothing too sedentary or isolating. No knitting or chess. But it can’t be just empty action. There needs to be some sort of goal, some way of bettering yourself or learning a new skill. Otherwise, you will start to question what the point of it even is, and you will become restless. And if you are at loose ends, you will leave yourself open, vulnerable, and the feeling will find you.”

On day two, Pradyumna discusses his rationale for choosing activities to distract himself from his boredom and depression. Having already achieved success, Pradyumna does not get distracted by the allure of fame and success like other characters do. His goal to distract himself leads him to enter the competition on a whim and frees him to explore Grafton Manor with Lottie.

“It was how all our playdates went. I was the obedient and quiet servant, and Betsy was royalty lording over me.”

Lottie describes her childhood playdates with Betsy. While Lottie was obedient, Betsy was domineering and cruel. This description emphasizes the foil relationship between the two women. Lottie serves as a contrast to Betsy’s selfish attitude and highlights the depravity that emerges from an unfettered focus on fame and success.

“How could she ever explain what Grafton is to her—all its flaws and beauty—creaks and groans and slanted light in the afternoons. It is practically human. She feels almost wedded to the manor. All the history there—her own, her family’s. It needs protecting.”

Betsy ponders what Grafton Manor means to her. She compares it to a human and personifies the manor as her husband, which demonstrates Betsy’s extreme dedication to keeping the manor profitable. Betsy’s dedication to protecting the manor leads her to take drastic measures and corrupts her ability to see how extreme her actions are.

“But now I see that Archie’s success hasn’t just given him self-assuredness, it has given him delusions of grandeur, the idea that he is able to do whatever he wants whenever he wants to whomever he wants with no negative repercussions. In fact, he has probably mostly gotten the opposite and been rewarded for taking what doesn’t belong to him.”

The morning after seeing Hannah and Archie together, Stella struggles to be around Archie and his smug demeanor. Stella vows to expose Archie for his sexual abuse. Through her relationship with Hannah, Stella learns to speak up against those like Archie who take advantage of naïve women and reconcile with her traumatic past.

“This is my chance to be the journalist, the person, I was before. The one who is not paralyzed by fear, afraid of her own shadow. Someone with a future.”

Stella discusses her newfound passion to return to journalism and expose Archie for his misconduct. Stella sees this opportunity as a turning point in her life that will allow her to confront her past and gain power over her anxiety and fear. Throughout her time on Bake Week, Stella gains a reignited passion for writing and a confidence that helps her overcome her past.

“She gives me a knowing smile. ‘Sometimes we must do what we can to keep our mistakes a secret, don’t we?’”

The morning after having sex with Archie, Hannah struggles to focus on the competition. Paranoid of Betsy’s knowledge of the affair, Hannah attempts to maintain her perfect demeanor. Betsy alludes to secrets and mistakes, which Hannah mistakes for her own.

“I want to be a star. I’m ready for my ascent, and nobody is going to stop me.”

After Betsy criticizes her bake, Hannah attempts to rally herself to remain committed to her goals of fame and success. Enchanted by her desire for fame, Hannah does not allow Archie’s coldness or Betsy’s suspicion to stop her from pursuing her dreams.

“They are becoming more competitive, more ruthless. It’s only natural when the stakes are so high. They may squeeze each other’s hands as they wait for the verdict to be read out at the end of each day, but it’s all an act. Each desperately wants the others to lose.”

Betsy comments on the competition heating up and the risks the contestants are willing to take to win. Betsy refers to the contestants as “ruthless” and desperate. However, this commentary reflects Betsy’s undeterred focus on success, more than the reality of the contestants’ relationship. Unable to see the intimate connections developing between contestants, Betsy views them as extensions of herself and her unmitigated desire to succeed.

“This experience with Lottie, it’s given me a new perspective on life. I’ve uncovered part of myself that I always hoped was there but was afraid to try and access in case it wasn’t. Being vulnerable has made me feel braver than any sort of cheap thrill I’ve experienced, and I’m interested in exploring it even more. I’ve decided that I don’t want to drink for a while when I go home. I don’t want to be numb anymore.”

Prior to Lottie’s untimely dismissal from the competition, Pradyumna reflects on the significance of their relationship in his life. Through his connection with Lottie and his newfound purpose in helping her discover the truth about her mother’s disappearance, Pradyumna gains clarity on what he wants out of life and how he has been using alcohol and activities to cope with his unhappiness. For Pradyumna, the competition provides him with a renewed purpose for living.

“Above the fireplace, mounted on a plaque made from polished mahogany, is the golden spoon. I have never seen it in person, and it is hard not to stare. It is the shape and scale of a full-size mixing spoon and has the shiny-dull look of solid gold. It must be heavy, I think, leaning in closer to inspect it. I imagine holding it in my hands, the other contestants and cameras crowding around to get a better look.”

After discovering Archie’s body, Betsy asks Stella to accompany her upstairs and pour her a drink. As Stella prepares a drink, she sees the Golden Spoon and ponders its significance as a symbol of success. Despite the allure of the trophy, Stella maintains a focus on her renewed purpose as a journalist and no longer views Betsy as a symbol of success and comfort.

“It has taken me all this time to recognize that Betsy isn’t the woman I thought she’d be. She is colder and shrewder than the kindly grandmother she portrays on television. The real Betsy doesn’t seem to have a nurturing bone in her body. Betsy’s spine is stacked primly, eyes staring ahead angrily.”

After Betsy dismisses Stella from the East Wing, Stella realizes the extent of Betsy’s depravity. Stella now sees the truth about Betsy and her dedication to her own fame and success. Disillusioned, Stella gains perspective on the real Betsy and realizes that she no longer needs Betsy’s approval.

“I’m no longer jealous of Stella. It’s hard to be envious of people when you know all the things they’ve gone through.”

As Hannah shares her perspective during the documentary filming, she reflects on how grateful she is for Stella’s friendship. While previously jealous of Stella’s beauty, Hannah is no longer fueled by jealousy but instead by her intimate connection with Stella. Through vulnerability and empathy, Hannah gains a deeper relationship that allows her to live freely and successfully.