# His Family — Chapters explained

> Chapter companions for His Family by Ernest Poole.

- [His Family](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/his-family.md): Roger Gale reflects on the changing landscape of New York and his family's place within it. He dines with his daughter Laura, whose upcoming wedding disrupts the household. His other daughter Deborah confides about her r
- [I](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/i.md): Roger Gale, a rugged man nearing sixty, reflects on his life while playing chess with his daughter Edith. He recalls his youth in New Hampshire, his move to New York, his marriage to Judith, the death of their infant son
- [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/ii.md): Roger Gale lies in bed, reflecting on his children—Edith's pregnancy, Bruce's relentless work, Deborah's teaching in the tenements, and Laura's wild behavior—and resolves to know them better. Later, Deborah returns home 
- [III](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/iii.md): Roger Gale attempts to connect with his daughter Laura by discussing modern books and plays, but she is preoccupied with her own news. She reveals her engagement to Harold Sloane, a young broker, and introduces him to Ro
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/iv.md): Roger breakfasts with Deborah and learns she went dancing with Allan Baird at the Astor Roof, where they encountered a flabbergasted Laura. Roger then reveals Laura's engagement to Harold Sloane. Deborah questions Laura 
- [V](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/v.md): Roger Gale, preoccupied with his daughter Laura's engagement to Harold Sloane, withdraws from family dinner and takes a solitary walk into the ghetto, where he acquires an antique ring from a pawnshop. He later examines 
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/vi.md): The Gale household adapts to Harold Sloane's presence as Laura's wedding approaches, drawing the family closer yet foreshadowing their eventual separation. Roger observes the generational shift and the pressures of moder
- [VII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/vii.md): Roger Gale struggles with the chaos of Laura's wedding preparations, which disrupt his home and peace of mind. He visits his eldest daughter Edith, who criticizes Laura's modern views on marriage and childbearing, and wa
- [VIII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/viii.md): Roger Gale settles into a quiet domestic life with Deborah after Laura's marriage, but his return to work reveals a transformed America of corporate competition and media saturation, prompting reflections on legacy and t
- [Chapter IX](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/ix.md): Roger Gale grows increasingly concerned about Deborah's pale appearance and distant demeanor. She eventually confides in him about Joe Bolini, a former student on death row for murder. Deborah's emotional account of visi
- [Deborah's Big Family](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/x.md): Roger Gale visits Deborah's public school in a crowded immigrant neighborhood, witnessing the chaotic yet vibrant reality of urban education. He observes the school's operations, from the band and marching children to th
- [XI](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xi.md): Roger Gale visits Deborah's night school neighborhood, witnessing the vibrant, harsh life of tenement streets. He meets Mrs. Berry's dying husband and the ambitious cripple boy Johnny Geer, then visits the passionate lib
- [XII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xii.md): Roger reflects on Isadore Freedom and Deborah's intense engagement with life, then witnesses Deborah suffer a severe health crisis. Dr. Allan Baird diagnoses nervous exhaustion and warns Roger that Deborah's work is push
- [XIII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xiii.md): Deborah recovers from her illness but remains determined to continue her demanding work at the school, despite her father Roger's pleas to take a rest. Roger's attempt to influence her through Edith backfires when Edith 
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xiv.md): Roger Gale returns to his family's ancestral farm with his daughter Deborah, experiencing a profound reconnection with his past and the natural world. Through conversations with Deborah about her educational work and sol
- [XV](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xv.md): Roger returns to find Deborah consumed by her school work, leaving the household neglected. He becomes involved in the school's community activities, taking charge of a boys' club. He grows close to Johnny Geer, a crippl
- [XVI](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xvi.md): Roger Gale observes the divergent lives of his three daughters: Laura's luxurious and childless marriage, Edith's traditional domesticity, and Deborah's public career as a reformer. Family tensions rise as Laura's jealou
- [Chapter XVII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xvii.md): Roger Gale observes the deepening relationship between his daughter Deborah and Doctor Allan Baird, as Baird's 'long waiting game' unfolds through his involvement in Deborah's school and the establishment of a free clini
- [Chapter XVIII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xviii.md): Deborah's educational experiment triumphs as the Board of Education votes to expand her program, and she and Allan Baird discuss marriage and the balance between her work and family life. Roger Gale, initially anxious, f
- [XIX](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xix.md): Edith rejoices at Deborah's engagement to Allan Baird, and the family discusses the wedding plans and Deborah's future. Bruce and Edith resolve to become closer to the couple, leading to a series of joyful outings. After
- [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xx.md): Bruce Cunningham is fatally injured in a car accident. As he lies dying, he arranges his affairs, appointing Allan Baird as executor and expressing his love for his family. Deborah and Roger Gale rush to be with him, and
- [Chapter XXI](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxi.md): In the aftermath of Bruce's sudden death, Roger Gale moves through a stupor of grief and practical arrangements. Deborah takes charge of the funeral and finances, revealing Bruce left five thousand dollars in debts. Roge
- [Chapter XXII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxii.md): Roger Gale, after a night of brooding, resolves to focus on practical matters, particularly settling Bruce's affairs. Madge Deering offers to accompany Edith and the children to the mountains. Roger feels a growing sense
- [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxiii.md): Roger Gale returns to the farm after Bruce's death and finds the family struggling with grief and change. George has matured, taking on responsibilities and comforting his mother Edith. Roger observes Edith's fierce plan
- [Chapter XXIV](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxiv.md): As World War I erupts in Europe, Roger Gale faces financial ruin and must decide whether to close his business, while Deborah Gale argues passionately for social responsibility and postpones her marriage to Allan Baird.
- [XXV](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxv.md): Roger Gale, burdened by financial worries and Deborah's moral appeal, finds temporary diversion in the return of Laura and Harold from war-torn Europe, who recount their adventurous escape and lucrative war profiteering.
- [XXVI](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxvi.md): Edith arrives at her father's house with her five children after Bruce's death. Roger reveals his financial troubles due to the war, forcing Edith to let go of her nurse Hannah and send her children to public school. Edi
- [Chapter XXVII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxvii.md): Roger observes the strained dynamics in his household as Deborah and Edith struggle to connect. He reflects on the generational and ideological divide between his daughters, while also watching his grandchildren George a
- [XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxviii.md): Roger Gale reads war news and reflects on humanity's immaturity, then learns from Edith that John has tuberculosis and must leave the house, leading to a tense confrontation.
- [XXIX](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxix.md): Roger decides to tell Deborah about Edith's concerns regarding John's health. Deborah, flushed with triumph from a successful mass meeting, takes charge of the situation and agrees to tell John he must leave. The convers
- [A Season of Quiet](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxx.md): Roger Gale enjoys a period of domestic peace and routine with his daughter Edith and her family. He resolves conflicts, reestablishes school for the children, and begins a nightly reading ritual with Edith, while his bus
- [XXXI](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxxi.md): Roger Gale worries about his daughter Laura's increasingly rebellious and modern attitudes, which clash with the family's traditional values. Laura's marriage to Harold Sloane is in crisis, and she reveals to Deborah tha
- [XXXII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxxii.md): Laura arrives at the Gale home seeking refuge from her troubled marriage. Deborah informs her father, Roger, that Laura is divorcing her husband and plans to remarry. Roger struggles with the news, reflecting on his own 
- [XXXIII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxxiii.md): Roger Gale watches Laura return to her carefree, defiant self after her marital troubles, while Edith grows increasingly hostile. Laura eventually leaves a goodbye note and departs to join her lover in Italy, leaving Rog
- [XXXIV](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxxiv.md): Roger Gale struggles with financial strain and family tensions as his daughters Deborah and Edith clash over household economies and differing worldviews. Deborah advocates for progressive social reform and fiscal effici
- [XXXV](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxxv.md): Bruce falls gravely ill with pneumonia, forcing Edith to call in Doctor Lake over Deborah's objections. The crisis intensifies Deborah's internal conflict about marrying Allan Baird, as she realizes she would sacrifice e
- [XXXVI](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxxvi.md): Roger Gale, believing he has less than a year to live, confronts his daughter Deborah about her decision not to marry Allan Baird. He argues passionately that she will regret choosing a solitary life of work over family 
- [Chapter XXXVII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxxvii.md): Deborah consults her father's physician, then informs her family of her decision to marry Allan Baird. The family prepares for the move to the farm, and Roger learns that his business is improving thanks to John's effort
- [XXXVIII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxxviii.md): Roger Gale travels with Edith and her children to their new home in rural New England, reflecting on the tension between preserving old traditions and embracing new ideas. He encourages his grandson George to pursue mode
- [XXXIX](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxxix.md): Roger returns to his office and home, finding John transformed into a confident businessman and Deborah happily expecting a child. The chapter highlights Deborah's continued dedication to her educational work and the int
- [XLI](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xli.md): Deborah Gale gives birth to a son, named after her father Roger, after a difficult labor that endangers both mother and child. The chapter explores Roger's reflections on the birth, Deborah's fierce maternal instincts wh
- [XLII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xlii.md): John, who has been quietly staying in the house during Deborah's illness, finally reveals his own failing health. Roger discovers John's selfless dedication and, recognizing him as a son, offers to adopt him. John dies, 
- [Chapter XLIII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xliii.md): Roger Gale, in declining health, sells his business and reflects on the transient nature of New York and his own life. He spends quiet days at home, observes the bustling city, and has poignant final interactions with hi
- [XLIV](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xliv.md): Roger Gale experiences a vivid dream that traverses his family's past, present, and future, blending memories of his children with visions of conflict, suffering, and ultimately a vast procession of children marching tow

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