David Harum · Chapter
The Second Winter explained
John Lenox settles into his second winter in Homeville, deepening his relationships with David Harum and Aunt Polly while maintaining a quiet, reserved social life.
What happens
John Lenox settles into his second winter in Homeville, deepening his relationships with David Harum and Aunt Polly while maintaining a quiet, reserved social life. David's fondness for John becomes evident through his comparisons to his deceased son, and the two spend many hours driving together. John remains aloof from local society, declining overtures from Mr. Euston and others, and the chapter reflects on his contentment with his simple routine.
Themes in this chapter
Friendship and Loyalty
David's growing attachment to John is evident in his comparisons to his deceased son and their shared enjoyment of drives, highlighting a deepening bond.
Rural vs. Urban Life
John's quiet, routine existence in Homeville contrasts with the more social and fast-paced life he might have led elsewhere, emphasizing his contentment with rural simplicity.
Character and Reputation
John's reserved nature and refusal to engage with local society fuel curiosity and speculation about his past, underscoring the importance of reputation in a small town.
Characters to notice
- David Harum
Expresses deep affection for John, comparing him to his lost son; enjoys driving with John and shares his philosophy on horses and companionship.
- John Lenox
Settles into a quiet life in Homeville, content with his work and his relationship with David and Polly, but avoids socializing with the local 'nabobs.'
- Aunt Polly
David jokes that John has replaced him in Polly's favor; she is nervous around horses and no longer accompanies them on drives.
- Mrs. Bixbee
Shares observations about David's fondness for John and his past, including his marriage and the loss of his son.
- Dick Larrabee
Mentioned as the recipient of David's remarks about Polly's favoritism toward John.
- Mr. Euston
Called on John and found him pleasant but uncommunicative; reports to others that John remains a mystery to the community.
Key passages
““I’m dum’d,” said David to Dick Larrabee, “if it hain’t got putty near to the p’int when if I want to git anythin’ out o’ the common run out o’ Polly, I’ll have to ask John to fix it fer me. She’s like a cow with a calf,” he declared.”
David tells Dick Larrabee that Polly now favors John so much that he would need John's help to get anything special from her, comparing her devotion to a cow with a calf.
Illustrates the deep affection Polly has for John, surpassing even her brother's influence.
““David sets all the store in the world by him,” stated Mrs. Bixbee to a friend, “though he don’t jes’ let on to—not in so many words. He’s got a kind of a notion that his little boy, if he’d lived, would ’a’ ben like him some ways.””
Mrs. Bixbee explains that David values John immensely, though he doesn't openly admit it, and that David sees in John a resemblance to the son he lost.
Reveals the emotional depth behind David's attachment to John, linking it to his personal history.
““I used to git Polly to come once in a while,” said David, “but it wa’n’t no pleasure to her. She hadn’t never ben used to hosses an’ alwus set on the edge of the seat ready to jump, an’ if one o’ the critters capered a little she’d want to git right out then an’ there.””
David recalls that Polly never enjoyed riding with him because she was nervous around horses and would panic at any sudden movement.
Highlights the contrast between Polly's timidity and John's comfort with David's driving.
