Jack Keefe Stories · Chapter
Purls Before Swine explained
Jack writes about his disappointing leave at home, where his wife Florrie and her friends interrogate him about the war, and he feels unwelcome.
What happens
Jack writes about his disappointing leave at home, where his wife Florrie and her friends interrogate him about the war, and he feels unwelcome. He then describes receiving a pair of socks from a Red Cross package with a note from a girl in Texas (Lucy Chase), which leads him to write back despite being married. He also discusses the breakup of his regiment, his plan to enter an officers' training camp, and his decision to quit the football team after a poor practice.
Themes in this chapter
War and Disillusionment
Jack complains about the hardships of training (19-mile hike in freezing weather) and expresses frustration with the army's organization.
Marriage and Domesticity
Jack's disappointment with his home leave and his secret correspondence with Lucy Chase highlight tensions in his marriage.
Humor and Irony
Jack's sarcastic remarks about Mrs. Crane's husband's bad teeth and his claim of playing football at Harvard provide comic relief.
Characters to notice
- Jack Keefe
Narrator and protagonist; describes his leave, his correspondence with Lucy Chase, and his military activities.
- Al Blanchard
Recipient of Jack's letters; referred to as 'Friend Al' throughout.
- Mrs. Keefe
Jack's wife; hosts the gathering that makes Jack feel unwelcome.
- Sargent Crane
Mrs. Crane is one of the ladies at the gathering who questions Jack about the war.
- Lucy Chase
The 'Lone Star' girl who sent Jack socks and a note; Jack writes back to her.
- Shorty Lahey
Mentioned as one of the 'birds' on a train sent to the national guards.
Key passages
“Mrs. Crane said her and all her friends was so jealous of Mrs. Keefe because her husband was a soldier so I said I had heard they was room in some of the camps for a few more husbands and Mrs. Crane said her husband had tried his hardest to get into something but he had bad teeth so I said why didn't he try and get into some good dentist office.”
Jack sarcastically suggests that Mrs. Crane's husband, who was rejected from service due to bad teeth, should try to get into a dentist's office instead.
Shows Jack's irritation with civilians who pry about the war while avoiding service.
“Well Al I started out to write you a long letter but I am to wore out and I guess anybody would be after what we went through today. It was the coldest day I ever seen so they picked it out for us to go on a 19 mile hike and if you could see the roads around here you would know what that means and they can talk all they want to about how the men suffers in France but I would rather go out in the middle of Nobody's Land and start a mumblety peg game then take another of these dam hikes with the weather a million below zero and the road full of rutts as big as the grand canion.”
Jack complains about a brutal 19-mile hike in freezing weather, saying he would prefer facing No Man's Land to another such march.
Highlights the physical hardships of training and Jack's disillusionment with army life.
“Well Al I can't help from feeling sorry for her and if it wasn't for Florrie and little Al I would write her a note back and thank her for the sox though between you and I they are to small and try and say something that would cheer her up. But of course Florrie wouldn't like for me to do it and a married man shouldn't ought to be monking around like that and lead a girl on though of course if I did write to her the first thing I would tell her would be that I am married.”
Jack feels pity for Lucy Chase but initially decides not to write back because he is married, though he later changes his mind.
Reveals Jack's conflicted feelings about his marriage and his temptation to engage with the mysterious girl.
