# XV explained — McTeague > Chapter companion for McTeague by Frank Norris. ## What happens The McTeagues' marriage deteriorates as poverty and Trina's avarice strain their relationship. McTeague loses his job and regresses to old habits, while Trina hoards money and lies about their finances. Their grim routine is interrupted by visits from Maria Macapa, who shares her troubles with Zerkow. McTeague's frustration boils over when he fails to find work, leading to a confrontation with Trina. ## Themes in this chapter ### Greed and Avarice Trina's stinginess intensifies as she hoards money and pilfers food, even at the expense of her husband's comfort, while Zerkow's obsession with the gold dishes drives him to abuse Maria. ### Marriage and Domesticity The McTeagues' marriage deteriorates into a routine of poverty and resentment, with Trina's avarice and McTeague's regression eroding their bond. ### Obsession and Possession Zerkow's obsessive search for the gold dishes leads him to spy on and threaten Maria, mirroring the destructive possessiveness seen in other characters. ## Character check-ins ### McTeague Grows morose and sulky as he misses the comforts Trina once provided; regresses to old habits like drinking steam beer and playing concertina; loses his job at a surgical instrument manufacturer; becomes verbally aggressive toward Trina. ### Trina Sieppe Becomes increasingly avaricious, hoarding money and food, lying to McTeague about the auction proceeds; works long hours whittling Noah's ark animals; tolerates Maria's visits but refuses to share tea. ### Maria Macapa Visits Trina to gossip about Zerkow's worsening behavior, including his spying and threats; claims she can manage him by pretending to know the secret of the gold dishes. ### Zerkow Becomes more obsessive and paranoid, spying on Maria and tearing down part of the wall; threatens to kill her if she doesn't reveal the location of the gold dishes. ## Key lines > Then the grind began. It would have been easier for the McTeagues to have faced their misfortunes had they befallen them immediately after their marriage, when their love for each other was fresh and fine, and when they could have found a certain happiness in helping each other and sharing each other’s privations. Their hardships would have been more bearable if they had come right after their wedding, when their love was still strong and they could have found joy in supporting each other through poverty. _Highlights the erosion of marital affection under financial strain._ > He had become used to her by now. She was part of the order of the things with which he found himself surrounded. He saw nothing extraordinary about her; it was no longer a pleasure for him to kiss her and take her in his arms; she was merely his wife. McTeague had grown so accustomed to Trina that she felt like just another piece of his everyday surroundings; he no longer found joy in physical affection—she was simply his wife. _Illustrates the loss of romantic passion and the normalization of their relationship._ > At first these deprivations angered McTeague. Then, all of a sudden, he slipped back into the old habits (that had been his before he knew Trina) with an ease that was surprising. Initially, McTeague was angry about the sacrifices, but he quickly and effortlessly reverted to the lifestyle he had before meeting Trina. _Shows McTeague's regression to his former, less refined habits._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/xv - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/mcteague_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/mcteague_se/chapters