# III explained — His Family

> Chapter companion for His Family by Ernest Poole.

## What happens

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 Roger, who feels a mix of tenderness, remorse, and anxiety about the match. The next evening, Laura dines with her father before going out, and Roger struggles with his perception of her as a symbol of the modern, fast-paced city life, feeling old and out of touch.

## Themes in this chapter

### Family and Generational Change

Roger's struggle to connect with Laura and his feelings of being old and out of touch highlight the generational divide between father and daughter.

### Urban vs. Rural Life

Laura embodies the modern, fast-paced city life with its dances, public places, and mixed social circles, contrasting with Roger's more traditional values.

### Love, Marriage, and Women's Roles

Laura's engagement to Harold Sloane and her independent, modern behavior reflect changing attitudes toward marriage and women's roles in society.

## Character check-ins

### Roger Gale

Attempts to bond with Laura over modern culture, feels a rush of tenderness and remorse upon learning of her engagement, and struggles with feelings of being old and out of touch.

### Laura Gale

Reveals her engagement to Harold Sloane, appears as a dashing, modern young woman who enjoys the city's nightlife, and treats her father's concerns with amused indulgence.

### Harold Sloane

Introduced as Laura's fiancé, a young, self-reliant broker who appears hard and shrewd to Roger.

### Deborah Gale

Mentioned as the daughter who reads modern Russian novels and refuses to speak to Laura about her rouged lips.

### Judith

Mentioned as Roger's companion in their youth when they attended opening nights at Wallack's.

## Key lines

> And when that was rather a failure he tried his daughter next on books, books of the most modern kind. Stoutly he lied and said he was reading a certain Russian novel of which he had heard Deborah speak.

After failing to connect through conversation about her friends, Roger falsely claimed to be reading a modern Russian novel he'd heard Deborah mention.

_Roger's attempt to appear culturally current falls flat, underscoring his distance from Laura's world._

> I want you to know him—very soon. There was a moment’s silence. 'I’m going to marry him, dad,' she said.

Laura announces her engagement to Harold Sloane, catching Roger off guard.

_The direct announcement marks a pivotal moment in the chapter, revealing Laura's independence and Roger's emotional turmoil._

> For the picture Roger had formed of this daughter was more of a symbol than of a girl, a symbol of the ardent town, spending, wasting, dancing mad.

Roger sees Laura not as an individual but as a representation of the vibrant, reckless city life.

_This reflects the theme of urban vs. rural life and Roger's alienation from modern society._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/iii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters