Chapters 7-14Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 7 Summary
Ann and Rachel become increasingly devoted to their work. Ann’s mother attempts to call several times, but Ann avoids her out of guilt. She is becoming seduced by New York. She also comes to know Rachel better, and finds her fascinating; yet, she notices that Rachel sometimes plays pranks on Moira and Leo. Rachel is always more careful around Patrick.
After work one day, Rachel declines Patrick’s invitation to his weekend dinner. Ann senses tension between them. Afterwards, Rachel brings Ann to a bar. Ann envies the attention Rachel receives from men. Rachel asks her about Leo, and admits Leo introduced her to the bar. To avoid further questioning, Rachel invites Ann to go sailing. They go to a nearby marina and get into a boat. At the last moment Ann realizes they’re stealing it.
Chapter 8 Summary
Ann receives a parcel from her mother filled with her father’s things. She goes through it and discovers several pages of handwritten notes from his studies. Although he was a janitor, he often rescued pages from wastebins at the college and studied them with Ann. As she looks through them, Ann feels a well of panic rising. The feeling leads her to memories of her father’s memorial: Her mother began to cry, and Ann walked through a doorway without realizing it was glass.
