McTeague · Chapter
XIII explained
McTeague receives a legal notice prohibiting him from practicing dentistry because he lacks a diploma from a dental college.
What happens
McTeague receives a legal notice prohibiting him from practicing dentistry because he lacks a diploma from a dental college. Trina is devastated, realizing their livelihood is threatened. McTeague stubbornly insists he will not quit for 'just a piece of paper,' but Trina suspects Marcus Schouler is behind the notice. The couple struggles with the impending loss of income and the fear of poverty.
Themes in this chapter
Social Class and Decline
The loss of McTeague's dental practice threatens to plunge the couple into poverty, highlighting their precarious social standing and the rapid decline from middle-class respectability.
Determinism and Heredity
McTeague's lack of formal education and his slow-witted, obstinate nature—shaped by his upbringing in a mining camp—limit his ability to adapt, suggesting a deterministic outcome.
Characters to notice
- McTeague
Receives the notice forbidding him from practicing dentistry; stubbornly refuses to quit despite the legal threat.
- Trina Sieppe
Panics upon learning McTeague cannot practice; suspects Marcus Schouler is responsible for the notice.
- Marcus Schouler
Implied to have reported McTeague to the authorities, leading to the legal notice.
- Vanovitch
A plumber who has an appointment with McTeague to have a bicuspid pulled.
Key passages
“I ain't going to quit for just a piece of paper.”
McTeague refuses to stop practicing dentistry simply because he lacks a diploma.
This phrase becomes a mantra for McTeague, reflecting his stubbornness and inability to grasp the legal consequences.
“It's Marcus that's done it.”
Trina realizes that Marcus Schouler is likely responsible for reporting McTeague to the authorities.
Trina's suspicion underscores the personal vendetta behind the legal action.
“Oh, if you'd only killed Marcus Schouler that time he fought you!”
Trina wishes McTeague had killed Marcus during their earlier fight, expressing her desperation and anger.
This outburst reveals Trina's growing despair and the depth of her resentment toward Marcus.