The Portrait Plan

A commissioned portrait gradually reveals a plan to preserve Josie through Klara, forcing the adults and Klara to confront what can and cannot be transferred.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Mysterious Sessions

An Unusual Portrait Rick’s Suspicions Rick questions why the artist photographs Josie in close detail instead of showing sketches. Josie says her mother is always present and the sessions are manageable. A Hidden Purpose Klara hears the conversations but does not yet know the portrait is meant as more than an artwork. The secrecy makes the project a source of unease.

The Artificial Double

A Body in the Studio The Discovery Klara finds a suspended figure made to resemble Josie. She recognizes that the portrait is an artificial body, not a conventional image. A Disturbing Purpose The double’s fragile appearance makes the proposed future feel physically real. Klara’s discovery confirms that the adults are preparing for Josie’s possible death.

The Request to Continue

Klara Is Asked to Become Josie A New Role Capaldi explains that Klara would inhabit the artificial body and continue Josie if the girl dies. The plan depends on Klara’s accumulated knowledge. Doubt and Need The Mother is uncertain she could accept the result, while Capaldi insists there is nothing unique that cannot be reproduced. Klara offers to do everything she can, but hopes Josie will recover naturally.

The Mother’s Plea

A Promise of Love The Mother’s Bargain Alone with Klara, the Mother asks her to continue Josie and promises enduring love if she succeeds. She frames the request as necessary for her own survival after Sal’s death. Klara’s Choice Klara initially accepts the possibility, believing it may be the best remaining path. She does not yet understand that the Mother may be asking from grief more than certainty.

The Plan Rejected

The Meaning of a Person Capaldi’s Confidence Capaldi later seeks Klara’s help studying AF cognition. The Mother refuses, insisting Klara deserves a slow fade rather than being opened for research. Klara’s Conclusion At the Yard, Klara tells Manager that a replacement could imitate Josie’s outward qualities but would not reproduce what her loved ones carried within them. The plan loses its authority as Klara accepts its limits.

before the trip to the city

during the first visit to Mr Capaldi’s studio

later in the first studio visit

after leaving the studio

near the end of the novel