Alice Adams · Chapter
II explained
Alice Adams, preparing for a dance, interacts with her mother and father, revealing family tensions over finances and Virgil Adams's illness.
What happens
Alice Adams, preparing for a dance, interacts with her mother and father, revealing family tensions over finances and Virgil Adams's illness. Alice urges her mother to be more tactful with her father, while Mrs. Adams pressures Virgil to change his business. The chapter also introduces Walter Adams, whose secretive behavior and lack of ambition concern Alice.
Themes in this chapter
Family Dynamics and Sacrifice
The chapter highlights tensions between Alice, her mother, and father over financial decisions and tact, as well as Alice's protective yet critical stance toward her brother Walter.
Ambition and Disappointment
Mrs. Adams pushes Virgil to seek new opportunities, but he fears risk; Walter lacks ambition, and Alice's cheerful encouragement masks deeper family disappointments.
Gender Roles and Marriage
Alice's mother manages household finances and pressures her husband, while Alice performs femininity through gestures and appearance, reflecting gendered expectations.
Characters to notice
- Alice Adams
Alice is half-dressed, posturing before a mirror, and later instructs her mother on tact, defends her father, and expresses concern about her brother Walter's activities.
- Mrs. Adams
Mrs. Adams is agitated about her husband's condition and presses him to change his business, while also defending Walter and clashing with Alice over strategy.
- Virgil Adams
Virgil is ill in bed, upset by his wife's pressure to change his work, and expresses worry about the risks of new ventures at his age.
- Walter Adams
Walter is sallow, secretive, and defensive; he smokes a cigarette, makes cryptic remarks, and shows no ambition, having left high school.
Key passages
“The best things she's got! a cold-blooded girl friend said of them, and meant to include Alice's mind and character in the implied list of possessions surpassed by the notable hands.”
A critical friend remarked that Alice's hands were her finest feature, implying that her mind and personality were less impressive.
This quote underscores the theme of appearance vs. reality, as Alice's outward charm may mask inner shortcomings.
“He's been very brave about not being able to have the advantages that are enjoyed by the boys he's grown up with. I've never heard a word of complaint from him.”
Mrs. Adams defends Walter, saying he has been stoic about missing out on the opportunities his peers had.
This reflects the family's concern with social class and mobility, as Walter's lack of advantages is a source of tension.