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Chapters 1-5

Chapter 1 Summary:

The story begins in Manhattan in the early 1800s. A young man named Austin Sloper has made a

name for himself as a medical doctor. He is etremely intelligent and a man of high reputation. !t is

Austin Sloper"s good fortune to marry Catherine Harrington# a $ery %ealthy young %oman. Sloper

is not independently %ealthy# but his practice is gro%ing and he is a man %ho is held in high regard

& all the more so because he continues to %or' assiduously despite his ne%&found %ealth. Sloper"s

first child is a boy# %ho dies at the age of three. After the birth of Sloper"s second child# a girl#

Sloper"s %ife ta'es ill and dies. The daughter is named Catherine# after her mother# but in (r.

Sloper"s eyes# young Catherine lac's all the grace# intelligence# and beauty of her mother.

Chapter ) Summary:

*hen Catherine is ten years old# (r. Sloper in$ites his sister# Mrs. +enniman# to stay %ith him. (r.

Sloper has t%o sisters# Mrs. +enniman and Mrs. Almond# and they are ,uite different. Mrs.

+enniman -a$inia/ is a %ido%# once married to a poor clergyman. Mrs. Almond -liabeth & %e

learn this later in the no$el/ is married to a prosperous merchant and she has se$eral children.

a$inia is alone. Also# Mrs. Almond is less imaginati$e and impractical than a$inia is. Mrs.

+enniman and (r. Sloper e$entually came to an unspo'en agreement# by %hich she remained in her

brother"s house and too' charge of Catherine"s education and de$elopment into a young %oman of

refinement. (r. Sloper has been disappointed %ith Catherine since her birth2 he considers the young

girl dull# boring# and unintelligent. Mrs. +enniman sees more in Catherine than Catherine"s father

does & but (r. Sloper is lord of the manor and highly effecti$e in stamping his impressions of

Catherine upon Catherine"s psyche. He considers her dull# and so she remains passi$e & e$idence ofher dullness. He considers her not&$ery&cle$er# and so she remains ,uiet & e$idence of %hat she is

not.

Still# Catherine is 3good#3 at least. (r. Sloper is not proud of his daughter# but she is not inferior &

simply 3commonplace.3

Chapter 4 Summary:

As Catherine matures into adolescence and then# past the age of siteen# her entry into Society

becomes an issue of real importance. Here# (r. Sloper is embarrassed because of Catherine"s

some%hat etra$agant and $ulgar taste in party dresses. Her dresses are appro$ed by all ecept (r.Sloper. And it is precisely (r. Sloper"s opinion that matters most to Catherine. (r. Sloper li$es in

the *ashington S,uareneighborhood in Manhattan# and he has a %ell&defined code of $alues and

taste. His %orry is that Catherine"s dresses are simply too epensi$e. Catherine goes some time

%ithout setting her eye on a particular beau. 5n the other hand# one of Mrs. Almond"s daughters

marries 3$ery punctually3 and the other is engaged 6ust as ,uic'ly.

Chapter 7 Summary:

Mrs. +enniman has clearly had a good amount of influence on Catherine. As Mrs. +enniman is not

(r. Sloper"s fa$orite sister# it is no surprise that (r. Sloper is not entirely thrilled %ith Mrs.

+enniman"s finished product & still# (r. Sloper has not epected $ery much to come of Catherine# so

it is no great loss. Mrs. Almond gi$es a party# celebrating the engagement of one of her daughters to

a stoc'bro'er. Mr. To%nsend# a member of the stoc'bro'er"s family# attends the party and epresses

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a healthy interest in Catherine. Mr. To%nsend gre% up in e% 9or'# but he has been tra$eling for a

great time and has only recently returned home. Catherine finds him stunning# dashing# gorgeous

and it is clear that if there %ill not be romance bet%een the t%o# there %ill be something.

Aunt a$inia finds the opportunity to ha$e a $ery detailed con$ersation %ith Mr. To%nsend and sheis ecited about the prospects of a romance. !n the carriage home# (r. Sloper applies his

interrogati$e pressure# but he finds that Aunt a$inia"s ecitement is matched & for intensity & in

Catherine"s detached silence. $en %hen Aunt a$inia as's Catherine for the young man"s name#

Catherine replies# 3! don"t 'no%.3

Chapter Summary:

A fe% days later# Mr. To%nsend -Morris/ and his cousin# the stoc'bro'er engaged to Mrs. Almond"s

daughter# come to $isit the Sloper residence in *ashington S,uare. This is largely the result of Aunt

a$inia"s suggestion to Morris# that he come and $isit Catherine. 5n this first $isit# ho%e$er# Arthur

-Morris" cousin/ spends most of his time spea'ing to Catherine# %hile Morris spends his timecharming Aunt a$inia. Aunt a$inia has a po%erful imagination and Morris is a %onderful ob6ect

for her to thin' on. !ndeed# it seems that she has already made up her mind that Morris should marry

Catherine. Aunt a$inia ser$es as an intermediary bet%een the t%o young people & she has Morris"

biographical information and Catherine"s as %ell. !t is from a$inia that Catherine and Morris ha$e

learned much of %hat they 'no% of each other. Apparently# Morris does not ha$e a father and he

li$es %ith his sister and her children. He has been searching for employment but he has not been

able to find a 6ob. Morris %ill return to the Sloper home again# ha$ing been in$ited by Aunt a$inia.

Catherine blushes in disbelief2 she cannot imagine %hy a man as charming and brilliant as Morris

%ould be interested in a girl as plain as she is.

Analysis of Chapters 1&:

*ashington S,uare is one of the fe% %or's by Henry ;amesthat focuses on American characters in

an American setting. ;ames %as already li$ing in ondon %hen he %rote the %or'# but he actually

%rote *ashington S,uare in +aris. The significance here is that ;ames is %riting about *ashington

S,uare from his childhood memory. The 3impressions3 that he credits to Catherine Sloperare his

o%n. The theme of ci$ic nostalgia and 5ld e% 9or' is one that returns in some of ;ames" late

%or's.

!n these early chapters %e meet the main characters of this short no$el: (r. Sloper# his daughter#

Catherine2 (r. Sloper"s t%o sisters: Mrs. Almond and Mrs. +enniman# and Catherine"s e$entualsuitor# Morris To%nsend. The no$el is not all that suspenseful2 the characters are so delimited and

so precise# that it is not $ery hard to predict the outcome of e$ents.

Morris To%nsend is described as beautiful# dashing# an 3actor.3 He is already foreshado%ed as a

fa'e.

(r. Sloper on the other hand# is a figure of great irony. His %or' is medicine# and yet he is rather

cruel. He is a public celebrity# but a pri$ate terror. He sa$es li$es & but his %ife and son are dead. !n

(r. Sloper %e %ould epect the $ery pinnacle of goodness. His name# Sloper# suggests a do%nfall# a

let&do%n# a disappointment. Sloper is disappointed in his daughter. The reader is disappointed in

Sloper because of his disappointment. !t is not long before %e realie that Sloper"s criticism ofCatherine is unduly harsh. Catherine may not be a genius# but there is no e$idence that Catherine is

3dull.3 !f there is any suspense in the no$el# it comes in finding out precisely %ho Catherine is. *e

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'no% that she is not the person her father sees# but it is only later# that Catherine defines herself for

us.

Sloper"s t%o sisters# liabeth Almond and a$inia +enniman# are unali'e. Throughout the no$el#

liabeth plays the role of 3foil3 to a$inia# %ho is a ma6or character. a$inia is defined by herimagination & a contrast to both of her siblings. liabeth pro$es to be le$el&headed and

compassionate. (r. Sloper is on the opposite etreme: he is rational and cold&hearted.

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a$inia. 5f course# Morris is $ery charming at the dinner table# but it is clear that (r. Sloper and

Morris %ill not get along. ater in the e$ening# Morris confides to Catherine that he is con$inced

that her father does not appro$e. This is a tragedy for Morris# because he rather en6oys the %ine and

amenities of Sloper"s house. !ndeed# (r. Sloper"s 3cellarful of good li,uor3 is 6ust the sort of thing

that Morris loo's for in a father&in&la%.

To Catherine# Morris epresses his best attempt at heart&felt concern o$er the issue. Tactically#

Morris begins suggesting to Catherine that the time may come %hen her o%n father stands bet%een

the t%o lo$ers. Morris is disappointed to learn from Catherine that she ne$er contradicts her father.

!ndeed# she tries $ery hard to be a good daughter. Morris reflects that Mrs. +enniman"s assistance

%ill be $ital.

*hen (r. Sloper discusses Morris %ith his sister# Mrs. Almond# he admits that Morris has

superficial good ,ualities but that he %ill not do as a son&in&la%. Mrs. Almond epresses concern

that (r. Sloper does not see Morris the %ay that Catherine does & and that it is Catherine"s

impression of Morris that is of real concern. (r. Sloper replies that he %ill present Catherine 3%ith apair of spectacles3 & he intends to ha$e Catherine come around to his point of $ie%.

Chapter 8 Summary:

!f Catherine is in lo$e# she remains $ery ,uiet about it. (r. Sloper tal's to his sister# Mrs. +enniman#

about the burgeoning and rather rapidly&de$eloping relationship bet%een Catherine and Morris. !t is

clear# ho%e$er# that (r. Sloper is fishing for details. =urthermore# the (octor"s pride %on"t permit

him to at least pretend to li'e Morris# as a %ay of getting more information from a$inia. !ndeed# it

is already clear that a$inia stands as Morris" ad$ocate -she argues that the young man has had

misfortunes/ & and (r. Sloper stands in a defensi$e mode. (r. Sloper suggests that Morris is not

interested in Catherine because Catherine is a dull girl. a$inia defends her niece and she is ,uite

outraged %hen (r. Sloper# in one fell s%oop# maligns Morris -perhaps 6ustly/ and Catherine -,uite

un6ustly/: a$inia eclaims that Morris has been searching hard for a 6ob2 (r. Sloper"s re6oinder is

that: 3The position of husband of a %ea'&minded %oman %ith a large fortune %ould suit him to

perfection3 !nsulted# a$inia lea$es the room.

Chapter B Summary:

Catherine# (r. Sloper and a$inia traditionally $isited the Almond residence e$ery Sunday e$ening

and# this Sunday# they follo% tradition. (r. Sloper sees that Morris is at the Almond house -%hich

ma'es sense as he is soon to be part of the family/. (r. Sloper thin's about his emerging triangle%ith his daughter and her beau. He is con$inced that Catherine %ould defend him against

-rhetorical# emotional/ attac' from Morris. (r. Sloper finds time to ha$e a pri$ate con$ersation %ith

Morris# during %hich he mentions the young man"s lac' of profession and means. Morris# ,uite

smooth# purposefully misinterprets (r. Sloper"s %ords as an offer of assistance. Sloper is in%ardly

enraged# but immediately reflecting# he realies that his %ords as phrased# could be easily

misinterpreted. Sloper admits that he has no offer of assistance at the moment# but he suggests that

Morris might find something else%here# a%ay from e% 9or' -and a%ay from Sloper"s daughter/.

Morris has family in e% 9or' and he tutors his nieces and nephe%s. Sloper tells Morris that he

%ill 'eep the young man in mind# offering a $eiled threat: 3! %on"t lose sight of you.3

?efore lea$ing# (r. Sloper as's his sister# Mrs. Almond# to arrange for him to ha$e a tal' %ith Mrs.Montgomery# Morris" sister. (r. Sloper and Mrs. Almond hit upon the idea of meeting the children

and getting a sense of Morris" tutoring s'ills. This could be some form of indication of the young

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man"s %orth. Morris has a con$ersation %ith Catherine# during %hich he relates the tension and

unpleasantness of the inter$ie% %ith (r. Sloper. ;ust as (r. Sloper predicted# Catherine is sure that

Morris simply misinterpreted her father"s remar's. Morris argues that he has been insulted and

taunted %ith the fact of his po$erty. Morris" pride has been %ounded and as a result# he %ill not

enter Sloper"s home again. Catherine re6ects this idea# and insists that Morris come to the house to$isit her again. Morris" idea %as a romantic stroll through the s,uare# and Mrs. +enniman is

be%ildered by Catherine"s rather strange and unromantic mo$e.

Chapter 10 Summary:

Morris $isits Catherine the $ery net day and Mrs. +enniman is pleased. She has de$eloped a

fondness for Morris and she delights in drama of all sorts. She lo$es to thin' and imagine e$ery

possible option and ho% each option %ill play itself out. The intrigues of romance# then# mar' some

of the happiest days in the %ido%ed life of this %ell&meaning but far&too&meddlesome Aunt. Morris

'isses Catherine for the first time and Catherine treats this as a certitude. Catherine only no% allo%s

herself to become con$inced that Morris is actually interested in her. Catherine decides# after somedays# that she and Morris should confront her father. Catherine says that she %ill eplain the

situation to her father# first# and Morris should spea' to him the net day. Morris tells Catherine that

(r. Sloper %ill malign the young man as 3mercenary#3 but Catherine is not interested in the money&

politics of marriage. Her logic is that she %ill still ha$e plenty of money# that it is good to be rich

and that Morris should not be upset about the prospect of ha$ing money. Morris as's Catherine is

she %ill 3clea$e3 to him and marry him e$en if her father forbids it. Catherine simply says 3Ah#

Morris3 and places her hand in his. Morris ta'es this as a yes.

Analysis of Chapters >&10:

(r. Sloper"s teasing of Catherine ser$es both to inform us of his character -he is no 'ind fatherly

doctor/ as %ell as to establish suspense. Sloper 6o'es of a marriage bet%een Catherine and Morris

but such a prospect becomes in the end the central drama of the no$el. (r. Sloper"s self&ser$ing

6o'es and insults# a sort of hubris -ecessi$e condemnable pride/# blind him to reality until it is too

late for him to do anything meaningful. He thin's he 'no%s all# already2 he loses the opportunity to

gain ne% 'no%ledge.

Henry ;ames%as interested in the strategies that people use to define themsel$es and categorie

others. His no$els are hea$y %ith con$ersation and interior monologue. anguage and rhetoric are

%eapons and structures here. *e see this in no$els li'eThe Ambassadorsand +ortrait of a ady#

and it is certainly true in *ashington S,uare#as %ell. There is conflict# drama# and loss & but only%ords are used to destroy or support others# and these acti$ities of language are made eplicit. The

narrator describes a scene during %hich Catherine listens to the 3echange of epigrams3 bet%een

her father and her Aunt a$inia. -An epigram is a short %itty remar' or poem & it comes for the

ree' root of the %ord inscription/. *hat %e realie is that Catherine percei$es herself as not %itty

enough to 6oin in the con$ersations & e$en though she is the sub6ect of discussion. !n the net scene#

%hen Morris as's Catherine to 3tell me about yourself2 gi$e me a little s'etch3 the narrator eplains

that 3Catherine had $ery little to tell# and she had no talent for s'etching.3 *hat %e find later on# is

that Catherine really does ha$e these talents: self&a%areness# communication# and courage.

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money. (r. Sloper considers himself too intelligent to fall for Morris" charms. As a doctor and an

academic -an anatomist/ he compliments Morris" bone structure and physi,ue. Morris is handsome.

?ut (r. Sloper sees through the man and cuts right to the bone. Morris" assets are eclusi$ely

physical. He has good genes but a poor family. He is a handsome charmer but he is no gentleman.

(r. Sloper says that he %ill present Catherine 3%ith a pair of spectacles#3 using this image as asymbol of truth and understanding. (r. Sloper cannot imagine that others ha$e a different $ie%. He

presumes that others fail to see and that# if they see clearly# they %ill $ie% the matter as he does.

a$inia is charmed by Morris" language & perhaps this is the sort of detail %e %ould epect in a

no$el -%riters li'e %ords/. a$inia sees Morris as 3a young man of great force of character3 & not

for bra$ery# compassion# or economic success but for his 3remar'able po%ers of satire.3 She sees

him as 3imperious3 because 3she li'ed the %ord and the idea.3 There is a bit of understatement

%hen a$inia changes her mind# deciding that Morris is 3imperial3 rather than imperious and that

he is 3the sort of husband DsheE should ha$e had3 He is li'e an emperor and she is li'e an emperor"s

%ife# %hich is to say: an empress. This eplains ,uite a bit about a$inia"s meddlesome nature# and

%e can epect more meddling in the later chapters. !n Chapter 10# for eample# Aunt a$iniadelights in 3drama3 and she combines 3the eal of the promoter %ith the impatience of the

spectator.3 Hilariously# the narrator notes that at certain points a$inia forgets all about Catherine

-3there %ere times %hen she lost sight altogether of the modest heroine of the play3/ because she

%as busy thin'ing about her o%n non&romantic relationship %ith Morris -3the contemplation of

certain great scenes %hich %ould naturally occur bet%een the hero and herself3/. a$inia %ants to

be 3the confidante# the chorus# to spea' the epilogue3 & the narrati$e structure suggests that a$inia

is perhaps the chorus# but little else. a$inia can stir things up# but she pro$es incapable of pulling

things off.

i'e a$inia# Catherine sees Morris as 3solemnly beautiful.3 He ma'es 3her thin' of a young 'night

in a poem.3 ?ut Catherine is a%'%ard around Morris2 she is not as gung&ho in regards to romance.

At the end of Chapter B# Catherine re6ects the o$ertly romantic option -3a sentimental tryst beside a

fountain3/ and prefers to meet Morris in the parlor. *hen a$inia learns of this# she is 3lost in

%onderment at the oddity & almost the per$ersity & of the choice.3 a$inia is a romantic2 Morris is a

creator of romantic effects & but Catherine seems to $ie% the romantic as an offense to her father

and to her ideas of modesty. +erhaps most significant# %e"ll learn that truth and honor are $ery

important to Catherine and she is un%illing to create a scene or 3effects3 for the purpose of

stimulating emotions of interest# guilt# or fear. And anything secret or secluded is something she

immediately holds suspect.

The motif of language and literature is further complicated by the idea of 3imagination.3 5n the onehand# Catherine is 3not fond of literature3 and Morris agrees that 3boo's %ere tiresome things.3

?oo's are inaccurate and it is important that one 3sees for himself.3 This is certainly more comple

than it appears on surface. Here# Henry ;ames is reminding us of ho% sub6ecti$e any story is. *e

are being %arned not to adopt the (octor"s ad$ice or the narrator"s pre6udices. 5n the other hand# %e

see a$inia# a %oman of great imaginati$e po%er. Her imagination illuminates e$ery possibility &

%hether plausible or unli'ely. 3She is li'e a re$ol$ing lighthouse & pitch dar'ness alternating %ith a

daling brilliancy#3 according to her brother. a$inia"s imagination sur$eys the field: she gi$es us a

catalog of possibilities & but she is unable to focus upon the li'ely or desirable among these options.

Trust her to map the field# yes2 but her ad$ice is lousy -she"ll admit as much# later in the no$el/.

The narrati$e $oice in these chapters is compromised in a $ery special %ay: on one hand# %e aretold of the doctor"s stature and opinions. *e see that e$en Catherine has resigned herself to Sloper"s

tyranny. At the same time# %e are gi$en e$idence & little hints & that Sloper"s order %ill come

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undone. At a certain point in the no$el# once Catherine has -despite all odds/ asserted herself# %e"ll

find that the narrati$e $oice defends and protects her and reduces the doctor. The lesson %e learn in

the end is the po%er of language to frame others. !n Chapter 10# Morris remembers that 3fortune

fa$ors the bra$e.3 At the $ery least# one must spea' up# one must as' if he is to ha$e any hope of

getting %hat he %ants.

Chapters 11-16

Chapter 11 Summary:

ater in the same night# Catherine approaches her father in his study and tells him that she is

engaged to marry Morris To%nsend. (r. Sloper is not $ery pleased and he says that Catherine

should ha$e consulted him. *hen Catherine as's her father for his reasons against Morris# (r.

Sloper doesn"t go as far as to say that Morris is mercenary. He simply says that Morris is more

interested in Catherine"s fortune than he should be. Moreo$er# (r. Sloper is %orried that Morris %illspend Catherine"s fortune 6ust as he spent his o%n. (r. Sloper plans to meet %ith Morris the net

day.

Chapter 1) Summary:

(r. Sloper tells Morris that he should ha$e come sooner to re,uest permission to marry Catherine.

Morris apologies and eplains that Catherine appeared to be emancipated & Morris thought that

Catherine had the freedom to choose her o%n spouse. Morris eplains that he finds Catherine

charming but (r. Sloper says that disagrees. Morris and (r. Sloper ha$e a rather unpleasant

con$ersation. Morris asserts that (r. Sloper disli'es him because he is poor. (r. Sloper simply

argues that Morris neither has means nor has a profession. Hence# (r. Sloper cannot accept Morrisas a son&in&la%. (r. Sloper is upset %hen Morris suggests that Catherine %ill marry him e$en

%ithout (r. Sloper"s appro$al.

Chapter 14 Summary:

(r. Sloper meets %ith his sister# Mrs. Almond# and she %onders %hether he has been too harsh in

6udging Morris. Sloper decides that he %ill ma'e contact %ith Mrs. Montgomeryafter all. Mrs.

Almond suggests that Mrs. Montgomery may feel too obligated to her brother to say anything

negati$e about him. Mrs. Almond feels sorry for Catherine# %ho is in a dilemma bet%een choosing

her lo$er or her father. !t also seems that a$inia %ill ad$ocate for the lo$er o$er the father. (r.

Sloper %arns that he %ill ha$e no 3treason3 in his house on the part of his sister# a$inia. (r. Sloperrealies that both his daughter and his sister# a$inia# are afraid of him & though he claims to be

harmless. Harmless or not# (r. Sloper intends to use this fear and 3terror3 to his ad$antage.

Chapter 17 Summary:

(r. Sloper %rote a letter to Mrs. Montgomery %ho ,uic'ly replied. She li$ed in a $ery modest and

tidy house on Second A$enue. *hen (r. Sloper arri$es# he has to %ait for about ten minutes before

Mrs. Montgomery meets him in the parlor2 he finds this inecusable# but once he sees Mrs.

Montgomery# he immediately forgi$es her. She is a good# tidy# clean %oman & flattered by the honor

of (r. Sloper"s $isit. She considers him to be 3one of the fine gentlemen of e% 9or'.3

After polite introductions# Sloper and Montgomery settle do%n to business. (r. Sloper ma'es it

clear that he has come for information on Morris2 specifically# he %ould li'e to 'no% more about

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Morris" character. Mrs. Montgomery admits that she is a%are of the engagement and that Morris has

already made it clear to her that (r. Sloper does not li'e him. Sloper discusses the amount of money

that Catherine %ill come into & considerably less if she does not marry a man that (r. Sloper

appro$es. Morris does not realie this yet.

Sloper pulls on Mrs. Montgomery"s heartstrings and it isn"t long before she is sobbing. Morris is a

man %ith a good heart# but he is idle. She has gi$en him money consistently# e$en though she is

poor. He means to do %ell# but as a tutor# he only offers the children Spanish lessons. Mrs.

Montgomery %onders ho% it is that (r. Sloper can so easily understand her situation and ho% much

she has suffered on behalf of her brother. She is a good %oman and (r. Sloper has some sympathy

for her. At the same time# he ta'es great pleasure in his interrogation. (r. Sloper has had his $ictory

and he suggests that he might gi$e Mrs. Montgomery some money to%ards her brother"s support.

She is some%hat offended# but (r. Sloper consoles her. 3(on"t let her marry him3 is Mrs.

Montgomery"s sobbing eclamation: she is too good a %oman to be rid of her brother by passing

him to another %oman. She 'no%s that Morris %ill cause Catherine considerable pain.

Chapter 1 Summary:

(r. Sloper is puled by Catherine"s sustained silence. She is neither sul'y nor $isibly

contemplati$e. She is simply ,uiet and patient. (r. Sloper is con$inced that his daughter %ill obey

him and after a fe% days of silence he says to her 3! am glad ! ha$e such a good daughter.3 He also

tells her that she should come to him if she has anything to say. Catherine and Morris echange

letters# and Morris gi$es his account of the (octor"s cruelty. Catherine belie$es that someho%# if she

is only patient# e$erything %ill %or' to her ad$antage. She epects that someho% she %ill see a

reconciliation bet%een her father and her lo$er.

=or her part# a$inia +ennimanis loo'ing for the plot to thic'en & not resol$e itself. And Aunt

a$inia is no mere bystander2 she is %illing to play her part. She tells Catherine 39ou must act# my

dear2 in your situation the great thing is to act.3 Aunt a$inia is disappointed by Catherine & %ho

seems too passi$e and submissi$e to her father. a$inia imagines a scene %herein the t%o lo$ers

%ould escape and elope. And after the elopement# (r. Sloper %ould gradually come around. a$inia

meets %ith Morris# at her insistence# at a far&off establishment in the ?attery -the southern tip of

Manhattan/. Morris finds the old lady unbearable but he is patient and does his best to maintain his

politeness.

Chapter 1> Summary:

The con$ersation bet%een Morris and Mrs. +enniman is discussed in this chapter: Morris %onders

%hether Catherine %ill ca$e in to her father"s %ishes2 he also %onders %hether (r. Sloper %ill

remain implacable. !t seems that Catherine %ill hold fast to Morris and Mrs. +enniman suggests that

(r. Sloper may be %on o$er# o$er time. She says that (r. Sloper goes by the facts and that if the

marriage is an accomplished fact and if Morris pro$es to be a decent man# (r. Sloper %ill issue his

blessing in subse,uence. Mrs. +enniman suggests that Morris and Catherine elope# recounting a

story in %hich her deceased husband# a minister# married t%o young lo$ers %ho had eloped. The

father %as after%ard reconciled and came to be $ery fond of his young son&in&la%.

Mrs. +enniman is full of romance and melodrama. She as's Morris if he has a gift for Catherine#

and Morris replies that he does not. She as's Morris if he has a 3%ord3 for Catherine# and Morrisad$ises Mrs. +enniman to tell Catherine to hold fast. Mrs. +enniman tells Morris that he is a good

man and that if he marries Catherine# that %ill gi$e (r. Sloper proof that Morris is not %hat the

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(octor claims that Morris is. !f Morris marries Catherine e$en though she %ill not ha$e her father"s

inheritance -though her inheritance from her mother is both larger and sufficient/# it %ill pro$e that

Morris is not only or e$en chiefly after Catherine"s money. Morris suggests that this %ill do nothing

and (r. Sloper %ill 6ust as %ell gi$e his money a%ay to a hospital. a$inia# on the other hand#

belie$es that (r. Sloper %ould see' to amend his pre$ious in6ustice. Morris ta'es no assurance ina$inia"s promise to assist him and loo' after his interests.

Analysis of Chapters 11&1>:

At the beginning of Chapter 11# %e find a moment of crisis. Catherine"s bra$ery has flared. Her

engagement catches the (octor by surprise# though he does not admit this. The scene ta'es place in

Sloper"s 3study3 %hich ser$es as the physical epicenter of his po%er. !t testifies to his 'no%ledge#

intellect# and success. This is the first of se$eral 3study3 scenes in %hich Sloper"s system is undone.

The doctor is less concerned about Morris and more concerned about the 3liberty3 %hich Catherine

has abused. The doctor"s logic suggests that Catherine has been gi$en the liberty of choosing a

husband for herself but only so that she could use her liberty to choose a husband to the doctor"sli'ing -the young contemporary reader should remember that in most societies and for most of

history# most marriages %ere arranged & e% 9or' of the mid&1800s %as still such a society/.

*hen liberty performs the unepected# it becomes something else. The doctor feels that Catherine

has 3ta'en ad$antage of DhisE indulgence.3 (r. Sloper relies upon his scientific credentials to

support the claims that he ma'es in non&scientific regions of 'no%ledge. ?eing a good doctor does

not automatically ma'e one a socially intelligent person. Sloper is partially correct about Morris

being bad ne%s but he"s %rong about Catherine. Still# Sloper can boast -in Chapter 14/ that in his

profession -a life of 3estimating people3/ he is right in 3nineteen cases out of t%enty.3 His sister#

Mrs. Almond suggests 3+erhaps Mr. To%nsend is the t%entieth case#3 but Sloper replies that

To%nsend 3doesn"t loo' to me at all li'e a t%entieth case.3 Sloper is so presumptuous that he

presumes to 'no% his o%n mista'es. This is the sort of irony through understatement that one finds

inHenry ;ames"%riting.

!t seems that Catherine has gro%n up ,uic'ly in the interim bet%een Chapters 10 and 11. The

narrator is forced here to construct an argument# a conflict bet%een Catherine and the doctor.

Admittedly# the story %ould be rather pathetic if it ended here %ith the doctor easily trampling

Catherine and her rights. Hence# Catherine becomes a debater. Catherine spea's %ell of Morris# and

the narrator tells that Catherine 3had not suspected hitherto the resources of her elo,uence.3 =rom

thoughts of resources# Catherine continues immediately to spea' of the small 3fortune3 that Morris

has 3spent.3 Catherine has come into herself# come into a fortune# ha$ing found her hidden3resources.3 There are surprises# then# for e$eryone in Chapter 11. Catherine finds her situation

3hopeless and oppressi$e3 e$en though she admires the 3neatness and nobleness3 of her father"s

language. (r. Sloper alternates from cold to %arm & he is first angry and then forgi$ing & !f

Catherine accepts forgi$eness# she implicitly admits that she has done something %rong. Catherine

alternates# ho%e$er# from %arm to cold & she is daughterly and respectful in her pleading# but she

becomes silent and unresponsi$e %hen (r. Sloper tries to %ring her into submission.

ater# Catherine remains silent and the doctor suspects that Catherine is doing this as a form of

protest. She is simply being patient# ho%e$er# and her actions betray no e$idence of ill %ill or

negati$e feeling. (r. Sloper interprets this patience as submission.

The doctor threatens Morris %ith the fact that he %ill do %hate$er it ta'es to pre$ent the marriage.

Sloper has no ,ualms about Catherine thin'ing him a 3tyrant3 for a year or for a lifetime. His

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phrase# 3tyrant for a t%el$emonth3 foreshado%s the doctor"s desperate plan after all else has failed.

He ta'es Catherine for a uropean $acation that stretches from the pre&arranged si months# to

t%el$e. (r. Sloper sho%s his ugly side at the end of Chapter 14# and in Chapter 17 as %ell. He

ma'es the po%er of language eplicit %hen he says that Catherine and a$inia are afraid of him

e$en though he is harmless. He intends to build upon this# 3the salutary terror DheE inspireDsE.3Ta'en %ithin the contet of his earlier statement# that a$inia"s meddling %as a form of 3treason#3

(r. Sloper"s self&portrait as a tyrant is complete. !n Chapter 17# he goes into Mrs. Montgomery"s

little house as a $ery big man in Society. He launches an in$estigation# as if he %ere the Spanish

!n,uisition. He ma'es a 3rapid mental rFsumF3 of Mrs. Montgomery# and because he succeeds in

forcing Mrs. Montgomery into the role that he has car$ed out for her to play# he belie$es that he

really 'no%s her %ell. He coerces Mrs. Montgomery into spea'ing ill of her brother# Morris# and

then ma'es her feel good about her o%n morality. (r. Sloper is ehilarated by Mrs. Montgomery"s

eclamation: 3(on"t let her marry him#3 and the 3$alue3 of these %ords %as 3greater DbecauseE they

had e$idently cost a pang to poor little Mrs. Montgomery"s family pride.3 Sloper"s language

becomes a %eapon that outmaneu$ers him# the language e$entually out&masters the master. *e %ill

find that Sloper"s %ords %ill e$entually cost him dearly. And he %ill be forced to sacrifice his o%nfamily pride. The motifs of domesticity and family that are trampled in the scene# clue us in to the

fact that Sloper operates in his o%n house -%ith his o%n siblings and daughter/ una%are of the

damage that he inflicts. He confides in his sister# Mrs. Almond# that he %ill build upon the 3terror3

he inspires & but by the end of the no$el# Almond has condemned the doctor as 3too consistently

indifferent.3

!n Chapters 1 and 1># %e get a sense of the 3treason3 in %hich a$inia is in$ol$ed. She %ishes for

3the plot to thic'en3 and she has a secret meeting %ith Morris encouraging him to press for%ard

%ith the engagement. She is guided by her imagination and her ad$ice is 3incoherent counsel3 that

contradicted itself. She alternates bet%een urges to act ,uic'ly and bide time. Aspects of Morris"

character are re$ealed both in the fact that he is patient and polite to%ards a$inia and also in the

fact that he thin's of her %ith contempt and disgust. He finds her loathsome but he pretends to get

along %ith her because she can help him. =inally# the scene of Chapter 1> ma'es an interesting

contrast to Chapter 17. Morris has been betrayed by his sister. o%# (r. Sloper is betrayed by his

sister. Mrs. Montgomery ga$e ad$ice 3(on"t let her marry him23 a$inia no% urges Morris to

3marry Catherine at all ris's.3

Chapters 17-20

Chapter 1@ Summary:

ater that e$ening# Aunt a$inia sat %ith Catherine and recounted her meeting %ith Morris.

Catherine is upset that Aunt a$inia has gone to see Morris and she is also bothered by the fact that

Aunt a$inia has gone to a far off place# as if she %ere engaged in secret dealings. Catherine

easperates a$inia# for she appears disinterested in the details of the con$ersation. a$inia

chastises her niece for being cold and dry. Catherine responds that she %ould prefer that Aunt

a$inia hold no more meetings %ith Morris. Aunt a$inia feels insulted and she calls Catherine

ungrateful and than'less. She says that she %ill not interfere %ith Catherine"s affairs# adding that

Catherine is too fearful of her father.

Chapter 18 Summary:

Catherine is bothered by the intensity of her heated echange %ith Aunt a$inia. !n seeing her

aunt"s childishness# Catherine feels rather old and gra$e# herself. Catherine decides to spea' to her

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father. She tells (r. Sloper that she %ould li'e to see Morris again# not to say good&bye# but because

she %ould li'e to see him. (r. Sloper as's if Catherine intends to marry Morris# and he hugs and

holds Catherine in a rather forceful %ay. Catherine refuses to commit to her father"s position. He

as's her not to belie$e him but to ta'e his %ords on trust. !n reply# Catherine %ants to 'no%

precisely %hat (r. Sloper holds against Morris.

(r. Sloper argues that if Catherine refuses to brea' off her engagement she has se$ered ties %ith her

father. She %ill ha$e to %ait for him to die# if she epects to marry %ithout his adamant disappro$al.

This horrifies Catherine. As Catherine bursts into tears# her unen$iable position is made crystal

clear by the (octor"s cruel %ords. He calls Catherine ungrateful and impertinent. He refuses to

allo% Morris to e$er spea' to him again & thereby insulating himself from the possibility of change.

He tells Catherine that she %ill inherit none of his money if she marries against his %ill. Catherine

is not bothered by this and says that she %ouldn"t feel entitled to the (octor"s money. He laughs and

in$ites Catherine to tell this to Morris and %itness the %retchedness of the young man"s reply.

Catherine sobs and %hen she reaches to%ards her father for mercy# he turns her a%ay# directs her

to%ards the door%ay# and shuts her out. She remains at his door for se$eral moments and thenlea$es. Half&amused# half&irritated# the (octor considers the real possibility of Catherine stic'ing to

her position. He didn"t thin' she had it in her.

Chapter 1B Summary:

The net day# (r. Sloper has a con$ersation %ith a$inia# %arning her to stay out of Catherine"s

relationship %ith Morris. Anything that a$inia does to ad$ance such a relationship %ould be

counted as 3high treason.3 a$inia says that (r. Sloper is too harsh and that his cruelty %ill 'ill

Catherine. *hen Sloper sarcastically replies that he is a distinguished physician# capable of

preser$ing his daughter"s health# his sister curtly reminds him that his being a distinguished

physician has not pre$ented him from already losing t%o members of his family -his son and his

%ife/.

a$inia already 'no%s that Sloper has been cruel to Catherine for she %as %aiting on the landing of

the stairs the night pre$ious. *hen Catherine left the doctor"s study# sobbing# Aunt a$inia %as

%aiting there to console her. Aunt a$inia is baffled %hen Catherine %a'es after her dreadful night

and intends to continue life as if nothing has happened. Aunt a$inia argues that Catherine ought to

remain in bed and ma'e (r. Sloper feel guilty. Catherine intends to %or' e$en harder to be a good

daughter# in the hopes that her obedience might mo$e the doctor. Catherine is impressed %ith her

ability to be strong and solid and dense# and she feels sure that she %ill li$e to a great age & though

at moments li'e this# such a prospect seems more li'e a cure than a blessing.

Chapter )0 Summary:

Catherine sees Morris the follo%ing day and he as's her %hether she has made up her mind. She

simply %ants more time for things to resol$e themsel$es. Morris tells Catherine that she must lo$e

her father more than she lo$es him. Morris tells Catherine that Mrs. +enniman has suggested an

immediate union# and Catherine dismisses this idea. Catherine tells Morris that (r. Sloper %ill

disinherit Catherine from his fortune and Morris tells Catherine to tell (r. Sloper that such a mo$e

%ill do nothing to affect Morris" affection for Catherine. Catherine is not %orried about the money2

she is %orried about li$ing %ith her father"s disappro$al. onetheless# she tells Morris that she %ill

marry him as soon as he pleases.

Analysis of Chapters 1@&)0:

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a$inia confronts Catherine %ith the information that she has gathered in her inter$ie% %ith Morris#

though a$inia"s interference does more harm than good. Catherine percei$es a$inia"s intelligence

gathering as an indicator of a lac' of trust. ither Morris does not trust her# or Morris must percei$e

that she does not trust him. a$inia ma'es things more complicated %ith her ,uestion 3are you

6ealous of meG3 Catherine is not eactly 6ealous but she is certainly concerned by the coiness thata$inia shares %ith Morris. a$inia uses guilt much as (octor Sloper does# as a means of

influencing Catherine to do %hat is best. Here# it seems that Catherine is re6ecting a$inia"s ad$ice

and guidance in obedience to her father# but it is not as simple as that. Catherine is %illing to obey

her father"s %arning not to see Morris# but she has no intention of brea'ing the engagement.

!n Chapter 18# Catherine again returns to the doctor"s study and there is again# an echange of

rhetoric and heated language. The doctor has been caught una%ares# yet again# and this seems to be

part of Catherine"s 3terrible plan.3 She has spent a considerable amount of time thin'ing about %hat

she %ill say# and this time# the doctor faces more resistance than he pre$iously had. He gi$es a

$ague %arning about ho% dangerous a man li'e Morris can pro$e# and he interprets Catherine"s

disagreement as an attac' on his %isdom. The narrator relays the doctor"s 3ingenious sophism3: 3!don"t as' you to belie$e it# but to ta'e it on trust.3 The doctor %ants Catherine to stop thin'ing for

herself# to cede her liberty. Catherine does not impolitely point to the logical fla%s of the doctor"s

language# but the narrator does. Sloper %as once praised for his %itty 3epigrams.3 o% the narrator

tells us that the doctor"s logic is no good. Catherine does not address the logical failure# but she does

meet 3the appeal none the less s,uarely#3 %e are told. The doctor suggests that Catherine and

Morris# if engaged# %ould be placed in the position of %aiting for the doctor to die so that they

could be married & implying that one or both of the young lo$ers might find moti$e to hasten the

doctor to%ards his final destination. Catherine replies that 3!f ! don"t marry before your death# ! %ill

not after.3 The narrator tells us that the doctor ta'es this 3epigram3 by 3surprise3 because

3obstinacy# in unaccomplished minds# does not usually select such a mode of epression.3 The

doctor does not realie that Catherine is more cle$er than he thin's2 he decides that she is being

impertinent.

The themes of inheritance and filial duty -%ithin the contet of father and daughter/ resonate %ith

Sha'espeare"s tragic ing ear.The doctor"s language alludes to the play# %ith his threats of ne$er

forgi$ing Catherine. The doctor essentially threatens to diso%n Catherine# %rite her out of his %ill.

Catherine gi$es 3a cry of natural horror3 at the prospect of losing her father# but after Chapter 17#

%e ha$e been prepared for the doctor"s casual discussion of such horrible themes. !t is nothing for

him to spea' of ripping apart his family2 it is this $ery casual and presumpti$e demeanor that causes

this 3natural horror3 to occur. 5f course# the symbolic shutting of the study door ma'es it clear that

there %ill be no reconciliation bet%een father and daughter. Sloper sees the drama as a form of3entertainment3 but 3comical#3 e$en though he thin's that Catherine %ill remain obstinate. !t is

unclear %hat entertainment# besides $erbal 6ousting# the doctor %ill unco$er. He is una%are of the

pain that he causes his family# and so this does not dampen his ecitement. ntertainment is not the

%ord that comes to mind %hen one has 6ust referred to his only daughter as 3an ungrateful# cruel

child3 & if she should marry the %rong man. Catherine is on her %ay to%ards becoming this child

and gi$ing her father 3the greatest pain of his life.3 5r# at least# this is %hat the doctor says. *hat

Sloper does not percei$e his o%n $ulnerabilities. He spea's of this 3greatest pain3 as a threat that he

inflicts upon Catherine: He pains Catherine by suggesting that she might cause him pain. He does

not realie that# in fact# he can and %ill suffer great pain by the end of the no$el.

5ur respect for Catherine is by no means deri$ed eclusi$ely from the narrator"s compliments: thefact that Catherine matches the doctor"s poor logic %ith her o%n epigrams ser$es not to credit

Catherine but to discredit the doctor. The doctor measures himself by epigrams & he is beaten at his

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o%n game. Catherine measures herself by goodness# honesty# de$otion. The doctor"s %arning# that

Catherine 3%ill be an ungrateful# cruel child3 seems so absurd. ;ust as ing ear mispercei$ed his

true daughter as a false and treacherous daughter# Sloper maligns a daughter %ho lo$es him $ery

much. Catherine %ill not become a child to suit the doctor# and she %ill ne$er learn to be ungrateful

or cruel. ?ut at the doctor"s o%n insistence# Catherine %ill learn to respect and lo$e him less.

(r. Sloper confronts a$inia# his o%n sister# in Chapter 1B# and he %arns her that 3high treason is a

capital offense. Ta'e care ho% you incur the penalty.3 a$inia"s response# that Sloper sounds li'e a

3great autocrat3 confirms the allusion to ing ear & a man gone mad# insane %ith thoughts of

conspiracy# distrust# and betrayal. !t is as if (r. Sloper is intentionally destroying his family bonds.

He percei$es himself so different from a$inia that he %onders %hether he is her brother & and he

tells her as much. !n an especially brutal scene# Sloper suggests that if Catherine ta'es ill from her

melancholy# he is a distinguished physician capable of restoring her health. a$inia pauses# then

replies that the doctor has already lost t%o members of his family & Sloper"s o%n response

confirming that he may still lose another. The image of the 3surgeon"s lancet3 -surgical 'nife/ is

used to describe the cutting 3terribly incisi$e loo'3 that the doctor gi$es his sister. There is greatirony in the doctor being the principal destructi$e force of the no$el. *hate$er Morris" plans may

be# the doctor"s o$er&eaggerations and tyrannical suppression ma'e it impossible for Morris to

re$eal himself. And it is li'ely that Morris %ould pro$e not nearly as bad as the doctor predicted.

a$inia"s %ords# of course# suggest that Catherine might die of grief. The narrator pre$ents this idea

from ta'ing root: it is 6ust another one of a$inia"s imaginati$e fancies. Catherine %a'es up strong

as e$er & though for effect# she should perhaps pretend to be ill and %ounded -according to her

aunt/. Catherine"s heart is brea'ing# but she is 3strong and solid and dense.3 *hat is foreshado%ed

is the fact that Catherine 3%ould li$e to a great age & longer than might be generally con$enient.3

The irony here is that Catherine is strong enough to li$e a life of suffering. She faces the impossible

tas' of reconciling an impossible father %ith a less&than&decent fiancF.

Chapters 21-26

Chapter )1 Summary:

(r. Sloper $isits his sister# Mrs. Almond# and tells her his suspicion. He thin's that Catherine %ill

drag out the engagement %ith the intention of ma'ing the doctor relent. 5f course# he has no

intention of doing so. Mrs. Almond finds her brother 3shoc'ingly cold&blooded#3 and he seems to

ta'e it as a sort of compliment. He ta'es a pleasure in Catherine & %ho has surprised him. Mrs.

Almond sees that Catherine is in unbearable pain# but (r. Sloper is more interested in figuring out%hat Catherine %ill do. (r. Sloper mentions the idea of ta'ing Catherine to urope for a $acation#

but Mrs. Almond is sure that Catherine %ill not forget Morris in urope. (r. Sloper replies that

Morris may forget Catherine# %hile she is in urope.

Mrs. +enniman sees Morris# %ho has tired of her. He gi$es her rather curt ans%ers though he is not

eplicitly rude or impolite. +enniman admits that her ad$ice is not al%ays the best# for her

imagination gets in the %ay. She is no good at determining the right thing to do# but she is $ery

good at unco$ering the infinitude of possible things one may do. Contradicting her earlier ad$ice#

Mrs. +enniman no% tells Morris to bid his time and %ait. Morris says that Catherine has committed

to ta'ing the 3great step.3 Mrs. +enniman then consoles Morris by saying that %hether he rushes

for%ard or ta'es his time# Catherine"s lo$e for Morris is such that she %ill continue to hold him high

regard.

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Chapter )) Summary:

Catherine has consented to something though she had not consented to anything precise. A %edding

day had not yet been determined. Morris tried to figure out %hether it %ould be better to marry

Catherine and forego her father"s money# or %ait to marry Catherine and perhaps marry into a largerfortune. 5r# perhaps Morris %ould be best ser$ed by see'ing another union. Morris %ants to find a

shortcut# an easy %ay to sol$e his situation.

=or her part# Catherine feels guilty that she remains in her father"s house. =rom her point&of&$ie%# it

is un6ust for her to remain in her father"s house if she does not intend to obey his la%.

!n con$ersation %ith her father# Catherine tells him that she intends to marry before $ery long# and

the net day# (r. Sloper presents Catherine %ith the si&month trip to urope# telling her to

postpone the %edding for the half year. Catherine tells her father she %ill need to consult Morris#

and (r. Sloper gi$es a diplomatic reply. At the end of the con$ersation# Catherine tells (r. Sloper

that if she li$es %ith him# she ought to obey him. To this# Sloper assents. ?ut he is struc'# he fearshe has underestimated his daughter %hen she continues that if she doesn"t obey him# she ought not

li$e %ith him & implying that she %ill soon ta'e lea$e. (r. Sloper says that this idea is in 3$ery bad

taste#3 and as's %hether Morris has told Catherine to say this. earning that this is Catherine"s o%n

opinion# the doctor tells her: 3'eep it to yourself# then.3 He realies that he"d better get Catherine to

urope in a hurry.

Chapter )4 Summary:

either Morris To%nsendnor Mrs. +enniman %ere in$ited to 6oin (r. Sloper and Catherine. Mrs.

Almond thought it %as cruel for (r. Sloper not to include a$inia# but she realied that it %as

a$inia"s o%n folly that produced this conse,uence. Catherine tells Aunt a$inia that she hesitates

to ta'e the trip because she does not %ant to mislead her father into thin'ing that it %ill change her

mind. ?oth Aunt a$inia and Morris concur that Catherine ought to ta'e the trip# though Catherine

feels that it %ould be deception. Mrs. +enniman tells Catherine that she should buy %edding clothes

in +aris and she promises her niece that she %ill loo' after Morris %hile Catherine and the doctor

are a%ay.

(r. Sloper and Catherine are gone for a year# rather than the si months initially stated. Mrs.

+enniman remained in Sloper"s house and played the role of hostess rather %ell. Morris ta'es

ad$antage of this situation and essentially transforms the house into his o%n pri$ate club. Mrs.

Almond feels compelled to say something to Mrs. +enniman regarding her close relations %ithMorris. a$inia feels all the more attached to Morris# for they are both rather re6ected by (r. Sloper.

Mrs. +enniman reasons that if Morris %on"t en6oy (r. Sloper"s fortune later# he might as %ell en6oy

it no%.

Chapter )7 Summary:

=or the first si months of the trip# (r. Sloper refuses to spea' about Morris and the engagement.

He spends his time en6oying the sights of urope. He assesses Catherine"s le$el of intellectual

engagement %ith the sights and scenes and finds his daughter %anting. Catherine continues to

recei$e letters from Morris at the rate of t%o per month & bundled %ithin the en$elopes she recei$es

from Aunt a$inia. 5ne day# to%ards the end of summer# the doctor and his daughter %ere tre''ingthrough the Alps. !n a rather precarious mountain pass# (r. Sloper mentions the engagement & out of

no%here# it seems.

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Catherine is a bit surprised but as her ans%er has not changed there is no hesitation in responding to

the startling ,uestion. (r. Sloper becomes $isibly irritated# enraged really. Catherine tells her gather

that Morris still %rites to her t%ice a month and that she intends to marry him. (r. Sloper tells

Catherine that he is 3not a $ery good man3 and that he 3can be $ery hard.3 He as's Catherine

%hether she %ould li'e to be left to star$e in such a place as this.

Catherine is some%hat concerned as to %hether her father intends to do her harm. Though Catherine

dismisses the idea# she does ta'e a fe% steps bac'. Sloper ma'es his %ay bac' to the carriage and

lea$es Catherine to do her best to catch up %ith him. Climbing the difficult uphill terrain# no% in the

un%elcome dar' of night# Catherine does her best to 'eep up# and %hen she arri$es at the carriage#

her father is already inside %aiting for her.

They continue tra$eling for another si months and after this period# Sloper poses his ,uestion

ane%. Catherine replies that she still intends to marry Morris and that he still %rites her t%ice a

month. Sloper as's %hen Catherine plans to be married# and she says that she cannot gi$e a precise

date. (r. Sloper as's for three days" notice.

Chapter ) Summary:

The $oyage home to e% 9or' is uncomfortable and upon reaching the shore# Catherine returns to

her father"s house and does not go off %ith Morris. That night she spea's %ith Aunt a$inia %ho

says that she has spent much time %ith Morris and come to 'no% him $ery %ell & indeed# she 'no%s

him better than Catherine does. Catherine is some%hat bothered by this but she does not thin' about

it for $ery long. She than's Aunt a$inia for being $ery 'ind to Morris# but %hen Aunt a$inia tells

Catherine that Morris en6oyed cigars in (r. Sloper"s study# Catherine is upset. Morris# of course# had

the sense not to mention the etent to %hich he en6oyed (r. Sloper"s house# 'no%ing that it %ould

offend Catherine. Aunt a$inia# on the other hand# lac's such tact.

Aunt a$inia shares that Morris found employment as a commission merchant# ,uite suddenly#

about a %ee' ago. Catherine is more than pleased and she is happy to 'no% that Morris is an e,ual

%ith his business partner. Catherine has come %ith gifts for Aunt a$inia# and Aunt a$inia is

especially pleased %ith the cashmere sha%l.

Aunt a$inia as's Catherine if she has changed and she as's if (r. Sloper has changed. Catherine

eplains that she is bra$er no% and she does not try to please her father# nor does she epect that he

%ill change his mind. Catherine adds that if Morris does not care for the double inheritance# then

%hy should she & besides# %ith Morris" ne% business# they %ill ha$e plenty of money. Aunt a$iniasays that 3perhaps he DMorrisE does care3 for the money# but Catherine says that if Morris cares

about the money# he simply cares about it for Catherine"s sa'e.

Aunt a$inia no% seems to stress the importance of con$incing (r. Sloper and getting the full

inheritance. Catherine is irritated because this is ,uite the opposite of Aunt a$inia"s earlier

suggestions. Catherine %onders %hether Aunt a$inia no% has some ne% idea or ne% piece of

information. Aunt a$inia can"t help being shoc'ed by the force of Catherine"s insistence.

Chapter )> Summary:

*hen Morris arri$es the net afternoon# he feels some%hat %ronged: he is used to en6oying (r.Sloper"s study# but no% he must resign himself to the front parlor. Catherine is $ery happy to see

Morris and he loo's as beautiful as she remembered & if not more so. She tells Morris that she is

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ready to get married and that they must simply do %ithout the appro$al of the father. To this# Morris

epresses his dismay and says that he has been beaten. He %ants Catherine"s permission to confront

(r. Sloper and try to change his mind. Catherine feels secure# ho%e$er# that bet%een her maternal

inheritance and Morris" business prospects# they %ill ha$e plenty of money.

Morris insists that he should try to ma'e things right %ith (r. Sloper# and %hen Catherine eplains

that it %ill do no good because (r. Sloper is not $ery fond of her# Morris realies that he has lost his

chance. !n 'eeping her engagement to Morris# Catherine has lost her father"s blessing. Certainly#

Morris %ill not be able to get anything from (r. Sloper if Sloper detests Morris so much that Sloper

no% detests his o%n daughter because of her attachment to Morris. Morris has trouble hiding his

displeasure. Catherine pleads %ith Morris that he must al%ays lo$e her and ne$er despise her.

Although Morris doesn"t despise Catherine# he doesn"t li'e her $ery much either & and lo$e is

entirely off of the table. Catherine epresses a hope that she and Morris %ill be $ery happy together.

Analysis of Chapters )1&)>:

The opening scene of Chapter )1 attests to Mrs. Almond"s increasing disgust to%ards her brother.

She finds him cruel and 3cold hearted.3 This fact is supported by a$inia"s o%n confession to

Morris# that she did not regard her brother 3as an orthodo Christian#3 referring to his potentially

3$iolent3 nature. There is no pretending that Austin is a cruel man %ho effecti$ely distances himself

from the other characters. Sloper"s decision to ta'e the tour of urope is a fact that has escaped

a$inia"s imagination: still# she rebounds %ith a some%hat t%isted consolation & she tells Morris

that the possibilities are 3infinite.3 a$inia"s poor counsel %as a motif in earlier chapters# but the

sta'es are raised no%. Morris begins to percei$e the danger of relying too hea$ily upon a$inia"s

%ords. *hile (r. Sloper and Catherine are in urope# a$inia becomes closer to Morris: she

realies that if (r. Sloper disinherits Catherine# it %on"t be to%ards a goal of enlarging a$inia"s

share. She becomes more 3treasonous3 putting Morris" desires abo$e obligations to family. *hen

Mrs. Almond accurately percei$es that Morris is not a good husband for Catherine# a$inia

dismisses the idea. a$inia has fallen in lo$e %ith Morris# it %ould seem. !ronically# she forgets that

her o%n niece %ill actually ha$e to marry the man. a$inia seems to simply %ant an arrangement

that %ill 'eep Morris in her o%n life. This is tragic & pathetic and abusi$e at the same time. a$inia

seems to be condemned to en6oying only $icarious pleasures & she is not one of the lo$ers# nor is she

one of the tra$elers. The image of the house as a symbol of the hearth# the family# of connectedness

is undone %hile (r. Sloper is around. Consistently# the %armth of the fire is used as an opposite

image. At least three times# %e are told that (r. Sloper is as cold as the fire is %arm. a$inia has

been abandoned by her brother and her niece has left as %ell. a$inia repopulates the empty house

%ith Morris and other guests# much as she commits 3treason3 and protects the interests of othersbefore the interests of family. !n Chapter )# a$inia greets Catherine# %ho has returned home.

Catherine is some%hat perturbed by a$inia"s accounts of the time that she has spent %ith Morris.

o%# a$inia presumes to 'no% Morris better than Catherine does herself.

!n an earlier chapter# %e found the epigram 3fortune fa$ors the bra$e.3 !n Chapter ))# the narrator

tells us that 3+ro$idence %as more especially on the side of cle$er people# and cle$er people %ere

'no%n by an indisposition to ris' their bones.3 ?oth of these comments refer to Morris# a man %ho

is both acti$e and passi$e. Acti$e# he is %illing to ta'e ris's and impose himself upon others.

+assi$e# he relies upon others to do the most difficult tas's and depends upon fortune or +ro$idence

to ma'e sure that things %or' out. The narrator"s $oice of irony sho%s Morris to be a lo% creature.

He regards Catherine as 3unattracti$e3 and potentially 3impo$erished.3 Morris is the 'night&hero inthe images that he sells to a$inia and Catherine. ?ut in the middle of the no$el# once things begin

to go a%ry# Morris sounds more li'e a character from a ;ane Austen no$el: in his attempts to %in a

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fortune through marriage -a gender&role re$ersal# here/ Morris catches a snag. The fact that (r.

Sloper %ill disinherit Catherine ma'es Morris" decision more difficult. i'e (r. Sloper# Morris

hopes that 3mathematics3 %ill lead him to a 3shortcut3 around the 3natural %ay3 to resol$e his

situation. He does not %ant to marry Catherine %ithout a guarantee that he %ill come into all of her

%ealth & including that %hich the (octor presently threatens to %ithhold. (r. Sloper reduces theconflict to 3geometry.3 ?oth he and Morris hope that to thin' their %ay through. either man

pro$es competent enough to fully eecute his tas'.

The motif of la% is further de$eloped beyond the images of tyranny and treason. Catherine has

come under a curse and e$en Morris regards her position as pitiable# for Catherine feels that she has

3bro'en a sacred la%.3 Catherine has a $ery de$eloped sense of moral 6udgment as she ehibits at

the end of Chapter )). This scene is a continuation of the earlier 3study3 scenes. (r. Sloper %ants to

ta'e Catherine to urope as a means of separating her from Morris. Catherine# ta'es her father"s

language literally# and belie$es that she is separated from him -her father/. She admits that 3!f ! li$e

%ith you# ! ought to obey you3 and the doctor"s half&moc'ing agreement is turned on its head %hen

Catherine continues: 3?ut if ! don"t obey you# ! ought not to li$e %ith you & to en6oy your 'indnessand protection.3 Catherine %ould rather lea$e the house of the tyrant than commit treason. This is

the logical etension of the doctor"s o%n %ords & but this is a tactical disad$antage. A tyrant needs a

sub6ect. The doctor %ould not be satisfied %ith Catherine lea$ing the house2 he %ants her to submit

to his rule. He has a 3sudden sense of ha$ing underestimated his daughter3 and he insults her idea as

3$ery bad taste3 and tells her to 3'eep it to DherEself.3 *hile (r. Sloper is in urope# his study

becomes a sort of sanctuary for Morris# %ho $isits regularly %hile Sloper is a%ay.

This is a critical point in the no$el. Catherine has liberated herself from the doctor"s ideas. She has

follo%ed his logic to its conclusion# and %hen the doctor re6ects his o%n logic# Catherine has little

reason to hold the doctor"s arguments in high regard. She is no% 3absol$ed3 because she has

follo%ed duty. The trip to urope is a %aste of time and money# if the goal is to ma'e Catherine

forget Morris. Catherine feels that it %ould be decepti$e to accompany her father on the trip %hen

she has no intention of changing her mind about Morris. Catherine"s combination of honesty and

strength leads her to the conclusion that she ought to tell her father that his strategy is a failing one#

so perhaps he ought to reconsider. 5f course# after si months of tra$el# Catherine confirms that she

is resolute. *hen the doctor etends the trip# there is no change in Catherine"s decision. ?y the time

she comes home# Catherine ahs gi$en up any hope of con$erting her father and she has decided to

sacrifice her inheritance and marry Morris any%ay. As can be epected# this plan meets %ith

considerable opposition from Morris and Aunt a$inia# for they ha$e been counting on the fact of

(r. Sloper"s fortune e$entually going to Catherine. The use of understatement at the end of Chapter

)> essentially re$eals Catherine"s fate. Morris %ill 3ne$er despise3 her but he %ill not try to doanything more difficult. eedless to say# he %ill not marry Catherine.

Chapters 27-30

Chapter )@ Summary:

(r. Sloper has a con$ersation %ith his sister# a$inia. He ma'es it clear that he remains infleible

and has no intention of consenting to Catherine"s marriage. =urther# he 'no%s that Morris has spent

a considerable amount of time in the house# though he does not %ant to hear a$inia"s 6ustification

or eplanation or lie regarding the fact. He tells her simply because he does not %ant to hear her

spea' on the topic. !t is already settled and of no great importance. *hat he does %ish to say is that

a$inia puts herself in danger by sto'ing the doomed hopes of an inflamed fortune&hunter. (r.

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Sloper %arns a$inia that Morris may try to sue her or get some form of re$enge for un6ustly

raising his epectations.

(r. Sloper as's a$inia if she thin's that Morris intends to hang onto Catherine# and a$inia simply

tells (r. Sloper that he had better %ait and see. *hen (r. Sloper tal's to his other sister# Mrs.Almond# she tells him that he should not be surprised# ha$ing left a$inia alone# to find that she

'ept company %ith Morris. (r. Sloper is surprised %hen Mrs. Almond tells him %hat she has

learned from Catherine# that Morris has set up a business and is ma'ing a great deal of money. (r.

Sloper realies that Catherine has already gi$en up on changing his mind. Mrs. Almond tells him

that Catherine has returned home eactly the same. She sees that Catherine is destined for

heartbrea'# and (r. Sloper agrees.

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yello% fe$er as she is# she also adds that Morris should be more interested in her and less interested

in money. He says that he must lea$e and that he %ill $isit net Saturday# but Catherine as's that he

$isit on the follo%ing day. He insists upon Saturday and Catherine suddenly realies her

predicament# saying 3Morris# you are going to lea$e me.3

Morris says that he %ill lea$e but only for a short time# but Catherine is soon crying and she says

3you %on"t come bac'3 Morris promises that Catherine %ill see him again.

Chapter 40 Summary:

Catherine is $ery depressed about %hat has happened. She hopes that Morris %ill return and tell her

that he does not mean to say %hat he has said but this does not happen. *hen Aunt a$inia

approaches Catherine and suggests that something is bothering the young %oman# Catherine lies

and says that e$erything is fine. Aunt a$inia sends a letter to Morris but she recei$es no response.

Catherine# for her part# has sent t%o short letter to Morris# and she has also recei$ed no response.

(r. Sloper has been obser$ing Catherine and he approaches a$inia# suggesting that Morris has

bac'ed out of the marriage. a$inia argues in opposition and shudders at the pure 6oy that the doctor

deri$es in being right & e$en at the epensi$e price of his daughter"s emotions.

Aunt a$inia approaches Catherine and tries to pry information from the young %oman after she

has ta'en a %al'. Aunt a$inia spea's to Catherine and tries to console her about the engagement

being bro'en off and Morris" change in plans. Catherine is confused# of course. Though Catherine

doubts Morris# Morris has not said anything to the effect of permanently changing his plans. *hen

Aunt a$inia says 3if he hasn"t told you3 & Catherine interrupts her aunt. Aunt a$inia no% realies

that Morris has not told Catherine that he %ill not marry her2 he has simply left. Aunt a$inia cries

that she has spo'en too soon. Catherine no% realies that Aunt a$inia has been a%are of this

looming disaster and has done nothing to assist her. Catherine has gone to Mrs. Montgomery"s

house# but Morris %as not there# ha$ing left to%n. $en %orse# his family does not 'no% %here he

has gone.

Catherine regrets all of her aunt"s meddling. !t %ould ha$e been better not to lea$e Morris %ith Aunt

a$inia for a full year. !t %ould ha$e been better ne$er to ha$e 'no%n Morris. *hen Aunt a$inia

says that Morris has left because he did not %ant to hurt Catherine and destroy her relationship %ith

her father# Catherine as's Aunt a$inia %hether Morris has told her to say this. Aunt a$inia is

utterly unable to console Catherine# %ho percei$es precisely %hat has happened.

Analysis of Chapters )@&40:

Catherine has returned from urope ready to ma'e plans for her life as a married %oman. !n these

chapters# Catherine"s %orld# her plans and her prospects finally unra$el.

(r. Sloper"s attitude to%ards Catherine"s brea'&up suggests that he $alues truth o$er happiness.

Sloper ta'es his pleasure in being right2 it scarcely matters to him that Catherine is suffering

emotionally. Again# %e see that (r. Sloper"s actions are causing dissension %ithin his family. Sloper

is becoming alienated from his daughter# as %ell as from both of his sisters. Catherine"s Aunt

Almond presents the image of the 3fall3 %hen she describes Catherine"s plight# adding that she %ill

need to 3spread carpets3 to cushion Catherine"s fall. This is the emotional response that one epectsfrom a family member# and (r. Sloper"s sisters are shoc'ed and dismayed by his failure to act li'e a

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father. ?oth Aunt Almond and Aunt +enniman %onder %hether Catherine %ill sur$i$eG !s Catherine

strong and sturdy enough to sur$i$e the collapse of her engagementG

Throughout the no$el# Catherine has been portrayed as the responsible# mature# le$el&headed

counterpart to Aunt a$inia. =or Aunt a$inia# the end of Catherine"s engagement is the end of hero%n romance. a$inia has done e$erything in her po%er to 'eep Morris and Catherine together# but

the romance that she has imagined is not sustainable in reality. ;ust as Catherine has seen her hopes

dashed# a$inia has seen her o%n imagined romance dissol$e. ?oth Catherine and Morris regret

listening to a$inia"s ad$ice in the first place. (r. Sloper %arns a$inia to 3be%are of the 6ust

resentment of a deluded fortune hunter#3 referring to Morris. (r. Sloper"s %ords foreshado% Morris"

angry threat to sue a$inia for leading him to belie$e that he %ould be able to marry Catherine and

come into a fortune.

Morris feels that a$inia has betrayed him. Catherine similarly feels that a$inia has betrayed her.

!t has pro$en difficult for a$inia to de$elop her 3drama3 and simultaneously fulfill her obligations

to Morris and especially to Catherine. a$inia accidentally re$eals Morris" lo% intentions before theyoung man has re$ealed himself to Catherine. a$inia thin's that she has spo'en 3too soon#3 and

Catherine poses the ,uestion of %hether a$inia has spo'en too soon or too late. a$inia does not

spea' %ith an intention of reducing Catherine"s pain. !nstead# a$inia concentrates on playing her

part in the drama. She %al's around the Sloper home %ith 3an uneploded bomb3 in her hands.

a$inia does ha$e sympathy for Catherine. Ho%e$er# a$inia"s 3aesthetic disappointment3 is the

fact that Catherine has not suffered more and made a greater scene of her suffering.

?oth Morris and (r. Sloper ha$e hurt Catherine and Catherine has a lot to learn.

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prospects# and so# the %edding is off. Catherine thin's that the letter is hollo% and false. 9ears later#

she re&reads the letter and sees that it %as $ery gracefully %ritten# though a lie all the same.

After the letter arri$es# a %ee' passes and (r. Sloper as's Catherine for an update on the %edding.

Catherine simply replies that she has not yet left the house. (r. Sloper says that he is loo'ingfor%ard to the %edding because then he %ill ha$e an empty house: Aunt a$inia lea$es %ith

Catherine. Catherine tells (r. Sloper that she has bro'en off the engagement# ha$ing as'ed him to

lea$e e% 9or'. Spitefully# (r. Sloper tells Catherine that she is rather cruel# after encouraging the

young man and playing %ith him for so long.

Chapter 4) Summary:

(r. Sloper remains cold and heartless and Catherine becomes close to her Aunt Almond. Mrs.

Almond is not sympathetic to%ards (r. Sloper and ultimately# she is rather disgusted. (r. Sloper

loo's at Catherine and sees that she is patient & though she has been hurt# (r. Sloper cannot see this.

He begins to thin' that Catherine and Morris ha$e simply postponed their engagement and they arecontent to %ait until (r. Sloper"s death. Catherine has a number of suitors but she ne$er pursues a

relationship %ith any of them. These suitors find Catherine genuinely appealing and# unli'e Morris#

they are %ise enough to a$oid Mrs. +enniman -%ho had become rather famous for her meddlesome

%ays/. 5n a fe% occasions there is ne%s that Morris is in to%n# but Catherine ma'es no mention of

this fact# nor does she seem ecited# nor does she ma'e any attempt to see him. (r. Sloper remains

in the dar' and he is irritated that there seems to be a conspiracy of silence. either Mrs. Almond

nor Mrs. +enniman nor Catherine is an a$ailable source of information. All three %omen find (r.

Sloper rather contemptible.

Chapter 44 Summary:

(r. Sloper retires from his profession and he sees that his death is coming soon. He ta'es a trip to

urope and brings Mrs. +enniman and Catherine along. He as's Catherine to promise him that she

%ill not marry Morris To%nsendafter he dies. Catherine tells her father that she $ery seldom thin's

about Morris# but she refuses to ma'e this promise. (r. Sloper says that he is altering his %ill and he

calls Catherine obstinate. She tells him that he doesn"t understand. *hen (r. Sloper as's for an

eplanation# Catherine replies that she can"t eplain and she can"t promise. (r. Sloper admits that he

had no idea ho% obstinate Catherine %as.

A year later# (r. Sloper has a $iolent cold and he dies three %ee's later. His %ill promised money to

Mrs. +enniman and Mrs. Almond but it reduced Catherine"s share to one&fifth of %hat it %as# as shehad plenty of money left to her by her mother. Sloper"s %ill mentions that Catherine has gi$en the

doctor reason to belie$e that she regards unscrupulous men as an interesting class -i.e. Morris

To%nsend/. Aunt a$inia says that the %ill should be bro'en at once# for Sloper has left Catherine"s

money to a number of hospitals and medical schools. Catherine disagrees and says that she li'es the

%ill $ery much# only she %ould ha$e epressed it a little differently.

Chapters 47 and 4 Summaries:

Catherine intends to remain in the house and this is %hat she does. She has created a life that she

en6oys & the younger men and %omen loo' upon her fondly as an aunt# of sorts. She fills her free

time %ith social e$ents# entertainment# and 'nitting. Her repose is sha'en %hen Aunt a$inia tellsCatherine that she has seen Morris To%nsend. Catherine begins to cry# though Aunt a$inia does

not realie this. Catherine is ,uite displeased. Al%ays the meddler# Aunt a$inia con$inces Morris

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to $isit the house# and Catherine is enraged %hen she realies this# but by then it is too late. Aunt

a$inia has disclosed this fact right as Morris has arri$ed at the house. Morris has the same old

$oice# but he has lost the old charm. His life has been hard and he has been a failure in lo$e and in

business. Catherine tells Morris# rather firmly# that it is impossible for them to be friends. She tells

him not to come again. Morris says that she has done him an in6ustice & for he has simply %aited forCatherine to be free# and no% she is. Catherine tells Morris that he has treated her badly# and that

she still has friendly feelings to%ards him and has forgi$en him. Ho%e$er# she has no intention of

re$i$ing any passion or emotion for him. All of her passion and emotional capacity ha$e been

destroyed bet%een the cruelty of Morris and (r. Sloper.

*hen Morris presses further# Catherine tells him that had he %aited for an ans%er# he %ould not

ha$e bothered to come and $isit the house. Had she been gi$en time to respond# Catherine %ould

ha$e sent %ord through Aunt a$inia telling Morris that he need not ha$e come. Morris lea$es# and

upon eiting# he as's Aunt a$inia %hy Catherine has ne$er married & he had assumed that it %as

on his account. They are both perpleed.

Mean%hile# Catherine has already resumed her seat in the parlor# dry# steel# unsha'able#

concentrating on her 'nitting and fancy%or' & 3for life# as it %ere.3

Analysis of Chapters 41&4:

The final chapters bring a resolution of the plot action. Catherine go insane# commit suicide# or die

of heartbrea' -all popular conclusions to the story of the 36ilted3 lo$er/# but she is certainly scarred

from her eperience. She re6ects all other suitors# including a fe% eligible bachelors. And %hen

Morris returns after nearly t%enty years of failed ad$entures in lo$e and business# Catherine re6ects

Morris. (r. Sloper goes to the gra$e confident that Catherine intends to marry Morris and en6oy her

inheritance as %ell. Catherine"s re6ection of Morris confirms the doctor"s failure to accurately

understand his o%n daughter.

Catherine emerges as a heroine in the final chapters. ;ames describes her as a 3conser$ati$e3

%oman %ho ,uic'ly becomes matronly. She acts older than her age & much unli'e Aunt +enniman#

%ho seems to gro% younger and e$er immature. Catherine becomes a guardian of local history and

old customs. As a parallel to (r. Sloper at the beginning of the no$el# Catherine is no% the

character principally attached to *ashington S,uare. (r. Sloper symbolied the neighborhood at its

height. Catherine represents 35ld e% 9or'3 society as it enters its sunset.

The name 3Sloper3 connotes this $ery slope and decline. Certainly# Sloper is an opposite image to3celsior#3 the motto of e% 9or' %hich means 3e$er up%ard.3 (r. Sloper has di$ided his family

and his family line ends %ith Catherine. The final chapters of the no$el depict (r. Sloper"s personal

decline %ith an ironic tone. A doctor famed for his intelligence# Sloper dies from the cold that he

catches %hen he $isits a patient at the ?loomingdale unatic Asylum. ;ames simply refers to the

hospital as 3?loomingdale3 and it %as famous. This death also mar's the end of a motif of 3cold3

imagery surrounding the doctor. !ndoors# the doctor"s cold eyes and cold&hearted nature played a

contrast to the fireplace# the hearth and the images of family and emotional fulfillment. Here %e

find the doctor dying of a chill in the middle of Spring# the season of life and ne% beginning. $en

the name of the hospital# ?loomingdale# presents an image of life# not death. =or a $ery great man#

(r. Sloper has died a rather small death.

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