McTeague · Chapter
XXI explained
McTeague, fleeing into Death Valley, is tormented by exhaustion, thirst, and the relentless instinct to escape his pursuers.
What happens
McTeague, fleeing into Death Valley, is tormented by exhaustion, thirst, and the relentless instinct to escape his pursuers. He fires his rifle in a paranoid frenzy, then discards it when he realizes he has no ammunition. He decides to cross the deadly alkali desert to shake off his trackers, but the heat and his own fear drive him onward without rest. After days of brutal travel, he is finally confronted by Marcus, who shouts for him to put his hands up.
Themes in this chapter
Isolation and Loneliness
McTeague's flight into the vast, empty desert underscores his utter isolation, both physical and psychological, as he is haunted by unseen pursuers and his own fears.
Obsession and Possession
McTeague's paranoid obsession with being tracked drives him relentlessly forward, overriding his physical limits and rational thought.
Nature vs. Civilization
The brutal, indifferent desert landscape contrasts with McTeague's former urban life, reducing him to a primal state of survival and instinct.
Characters to notice
- McTeague
Flees through Death Valley, tormented by paranoia and exhaustion; discards his rifle after firing it accidentally; resolves to cross the desert to escape his pursuers.
- Marcus Schouler
Appears at the end of the chapter, confronting McTeague with the drop on him.
- Cribbens
Mentioned as having told McTeague about the Armagosa Mountains and the difficulty of crossing Death Valley.
Key passages
“McTeague cooked his supper, chiefly coffee and bacon, and watched the twilight come on, revelling in the delicious coolness of the evening.”
McTeague made a simple meal of coffee and bacon, enjoying the relief of the evening's cool air after the day's heat.
Shows McTeague's brief respite before his paranoia returns.
“Suddenly he cried aloud in a frenzy of exasperation, 'Damn you, come on, will you? Come on and have it out.'”
In a burst of rage, he shouted for his imagined pursuers to show themselves and fight.
Highlights McTeague's deteriorating mental state and his urge to confront his fears.
“He would cross Death Valley at once and put its arid wastes between him and his pursuer.”
He decided to go straight through Death Valley, hoping the harsh desert would stop anyone following him.
McTeague's desperate plan to use the desert as a barrier against his trackers.
“The brute that in him slept so close to the surface was alive and alert, and tugging to be gone.”
His primal, animal instincts were fully awake, driving him to keep moving despite his exhaustion.
Emphasizes the theme of brute instinct overriding human reason.
“Suddenly there was a shout. 'Hands up. By damn, I got the drop on you!' McTeague looked up. It was Marcus.”
A shout rang out, and Marcus appeared, ordering McTeague to surrender at gunpoint.
The climax of the chapter, where the pursuit ends in a direct confrontation.