His Family · Chapter
Chapter II explained
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.
What happens
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 and they discuss Bruce's engineering, George's mischief with a rat, and Deborah's progressive educational ideas, which Roger finds unsettling. After Deborah plays the piano to relax, Roger secures the house and goes to bed, contemplating the encroaching modern city.
Themes in this chapter
Family and Generational Change
Roger reflects on his children's divergent lives and feels the need to know them better, highlighting generational shifts.
Urban vs. Rural Life
Roger's aversion to tenement immigrants and the encroaching apartment building contrasts with his pastoral landscape poster.
Social Reform and Education
Deborah advocates for child-centered, interest-driven schooling, clashing with Roger's traditional views.
Characters to notice
- Roger Gale
Lies in bed worrying about his children, resolves to know them better, later secures the house and reflects on his wife Judith.
- Deborah Gale
Returns home tired from work, discusses Bruce and George with her father, advocates for progressive education, then plays piano to relax.
- Laura Gale
Mentioned as Roger's youngest daughter, wild and gadding about; returns home late with rippling laughter.
- Edith Gale
Mentioned as approaching confinement and anxious about her family; visited earlier but missed Deborah.
- Bruce Cunningham
Mentioned as driving himself hard downtown; visited Roger that evening and discussed 'engineering'.
- George
Mentioned as Edith's oldest son, Roger's favorite grandson; traded his breeches for a white rat and got a poor school report.
Key passages
“Through his children he felt flowing into his house the seething life of this new town.”
Roger senses the vibrant, chaotic energy of modern city life entering his home through his children.
Reflects Roger's discomfort with urban change and generational shift.
“We're going to put the rat in the school... we'll have a regular zoo in school.”
Deborah proposes using George's interest in animals to create a zoo at school as a learning tool.
Illustrates Deborah's progressive educational philosophy.
“He had a deep aversion for those millions of foreign tenement people, always shoving, shoving upward through the filth of their surroundings.”
Roger strongly dislikes the immigrant populations pushing into his neighborhood.
Highlights Roger's prejudice and fear of urban change.