# III explained — Alice Adams

> Chapter companion for Alice Adams by Booth Tarkington.

## What happens

Alice Adams, after a tense exchange with her mother about Virgil Adams, prepares for an outing. She discards old calling cards from her 'Alys' period, dons a stylish outfit, and walks through town. She pauses at the Palmer mansion to appear as a resident, encounters Mrs. Dowling and a middle-aged gentleman, and reflects on her performative social interactions and her longing for an idealized suitor.

## Themes in this chapter

### Appearance vs. Reality

Alice stages her entrance at Mildred's house, scrapes mortar from a gatepost to seem like a resident, and performs elaborate pantomimes for strangers to project an image of wealth and mystery.

### Illusion and Self-Deception

Alice imagines a 'shadowy ducal mate' seeking her, and she encourages admirers to speak well of her to the world. Mrs. Dowling believes others see her only as she wishes to be seen, illustrating mutual self-deception.

### Social Class and Mobility

The Adams house is described as flimsy and aging, contrasting with the Palmer mansion. Alice's careful performance at the gate underscores her desire to be perceived as upper class.

## Character check-ins

### Alice Adams

Alice advises her mother to avoid discussing business with Virgil, then prepares for a walk. She discards her old 'Alys' cards, dresses stylishly, and performs social rituals to project an image of wealth and mystery.

### Mrs. Adams

Mrs. Adams is hopeful about Virgil but is rebuffed by Alice. She leaves the room in resigned silence, then goes downstairs to dust.

### Virgil Adams

Virgil is mentioned as the subject of Alice and Mrs. Adams's disagreement; Alice insists her mother not talk to him about business matters.

### Mrs. Dowling

Mrs. Dowling encounters Alice on the street, initially glaring at her appearance but then forcing a smile. She unknowingly reveals her true feelings with an audible breath.

### Mildred Palmer

Mildred is Alice's friend; Alice visits her house and pauses at the gate to create the impression she lives there.

## Key lines

> She replenished the card-case from the 'Miss Adams' box; then, having found a pair of fresh white gloves, she tucked an ivory-topped Malacca walking-stick under her arm and set forth.

Alice refilled her card case with simpler 'Miss Adams' cards, put on clean white gloves, and left the house carrying a fashionable walking stick.

_Shows Alice's deliberate choice of a more mature, less pretentious identity as she goes out._

> She paused, examining a tiny bit of mortar which the masons had forgotten to scrape from a brick in one of the massive gateposts. She frowned at this tiny defacement, and with an air of annoyance scraped it away, using the ferrule of her cane—an act of fastidious proprietorship.

Alice stopped at the Palmer gate, pretended to be annoyed by a speck of mortar, and scraped it off with her cane to appear as if she owned the property.

_Illustrates Alice's calculated performance of wealth and belonging._

> In Alice's unworded thought, he was to be thus encouraged as in some measure a champion to speak well of her to the world; but more than this: he was to tell some magnificent unknown bachelor how wonderful, how mysterious, she was.

Alice hoped the admiring gentleman would spread flattering stories about her, especially to an imaginary ideal suitor.

_Reveals Alice's romantic fantasies and reliance on social reputation._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/iii
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