Chapter 2 goes into some exposition on Anastasia’s background, such as her field of study, English Lit. She’s doing a paper on Tess of the D’Urbervilles (I guess Wuthering Heights would have been too on-point). It also introduces Jose, Ana’s platonic friend, and I believe he’s supposed to be the Jacob analog in this parallel universe.
The sibling-like relationship between Ana and Jose is another reiteration of the theme of Ana’s (figurative and perhaps literal) virginity. Again, it’s so strongly emphasized that it becomes a little suspect.
We also learn that Ana works part-time at a hardware store in her university town, where Christian Grey unexpectedly pops up, once again discombobulating her. He asks her for cable-ties, masking tape and natural fibre rope.
This shopping list is actually an interesting list of pervertables, common items from ordinary stores that can be used in BDSM play. Christian’s items would all be usable for bondage.
I should also mention that cable ties are not necessarily a good bondage device. In bondage, the big risk is making the rope, handcuffs, leather cuffs or whatever too tight and pinching off nerves or blood vessels, causing numbness or loss of circulation. Any form of bondage must have some method of not getting any tighter, and cable ties may or may not provide that. (Most handcuffs, for example, have buttons that lock them so they can’t tighten. The other kind aren’t recommended.)
The same goes for rope. I’ve noticed that over the last few years that Japanese-style rope bondage has vastly increased in popularity, even with people who have no previous interest in BDSM. I suspect this is because of the perception that rope bondage isn’t “nasty” in the same way as leather bonds or handcuffs, or other toys. Actually, improperly used rope can harm a person just as much as metal handcuffs. I strongly recommend that you take some kind of instruction or do research on bondage before you bind someone or let someone bind you.
Ana’s meeting with Christian takes a turn for the worse when another platonic male friend of Ana shows up, and Christian reverts into an icy, jealous snit.
