Bertram Cope’s Year · Chapter
XX: Cope Has a Distressful Christmas explained
Cope awakens to the crushing reality of his engagement to Amy Leffingwell.
What happens
Cope awakens to the crushing reality of his engagement to Amy Leffingwell. He receives a letter from her and writes back, asking to keep the affair quiet. He also writes to Arthur Lemoyne, who responds with sarcasm and insists Cope break the engagement and that they will live together in Freeford. Cope meets Amy briefly at Mrs. Phillips' house, using Carolyn Thorpe as a buffer. He then goes home for Christmas, where he is moody and abstracted. He receives another letter from Amy, and finally announces the engagement to his family. Lemoyne arrives on December 29th, and the two talk late into the night about how to end the engagement.
Themes in this chapter
Unrequited and Ambiguous Desire
Cope is engaged to Amy but feels trapped and miserable, desiring escape rather than reciprocating her affection. Lemoyne's forceful insistence on breaking the engagement highlights the ambiguous nature of Cope's attachments.
Escape and Confinement
Cope views the holidays at home as a 'harbor of refuge' from his predicament, and he seeks to shorten his time in Churchton and lengthen his stay with family to avoid Amy. The engagement itself is a 'repellent burden' from which he desperately wants to escape.
Social Manipulation and Patronage
Lemoyne manipulates Cope by invoking their long-standing entente and accusing Cope of violating it. He also uses his influence to plan their cohabitation in Freeford, asserting control over Cope's decisions.
Characters to notice
- Bertram Cope
Cope is distressed by his engagement to Amy, seeks to keep it quiet, and confides in Lemoyne. He is moody at home and finally announces the engagement to his family.
- Amy Leffingwell
Amy writes letters to Cope, asks him to come soon, and whispers that she will write from Iowa. She is eager but kept at a distance by Cope.
- Arthur Lemoyne
Lemoyne responds to Cope's letter with sarcasm, insists Cope break the engagement, and arrives at the Cope home on December 29th. He talks with Cope late into the night about ending the engagement.
- Rosalys Cope
Rosalys observes Cope's mood, speculates he is in love, and later takes his hands warmly when he announces the engagement.
- Carolyn Thorpe
Carolyn is present at Mrs. Phillips' house when Cope meets Amy; Cope uses her as a buffer to avoid being alone with Amy.
- Medora Phillips
Mrs. Phillips is away at a reading during Cope's visit, but her drawing-room is the setting for the meeting.
Key passages
“How monstrous it was that one instant of time, one ill-considered action, one poorly-chosen word could clamp a repellent burden on a man for the rest of his life!”
Cope reflects bitterly on how a single moment or mistake can trap a person in an unwanted situation forever.
This captures Cope's despair over his engagement.
“Nip it. Nip it now. Don't think that our intimacy is to end in any such fashion as this, for it isn't—especially at this particular time.”
Lemoyne commands Cope to end the engagement immediately, insisting their relationship must not be disrupted.
Lemoyne's forceful response to Cope's confession.
“He had decided that he would do no more than this with Amy, in any event, and Carolyn's presence made his predetermined course easy, even obligatory.”
Cope uses Carolyn as a shield to avoid being alone with Amy, sticking to his plan to keep his distance.
Cope's strategy to manage his meeting with Amy.
