National Avenue · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for National Avenue by Booth Tarkington.
Chapter 1
Dedication
The book is dedicated to S. K. T.
Chapter 2
National Avenue
Dan Oliphant's marriage to Lena McMillan is met with disapproval from his family, particularly his mother and grandmother, Mrs. Savage. The couple moves into a house on National Avenue, where Lena struggles with the provincial life and Dan's family expectations. Tensions rise as Lena feels alienated and Dan becomes increasingly absorbed in his work and family obligations.
Chapter 3
I
The chapter introduces the Oliphant brothers, Harlan and Dan, contrasting their personalities and stately home on National Avenue. It describes their childhood differences: Harlan is fastidious and aristocratic, while Dan is lively and associates with all classes. A childhood quarrel over Dan's partnership with Sam Kohn in a bracket-making venture reveals their uncongenial yet neutral relationship, which persists through their college years at Yale.
Chapter 4
II
Dan Oliphant graduates from university and spends time in New York, where he meets Lena McMillan through her brother George. Despite the McMillans' reserved hospitality, Dan is captivated by Lena and receives an invitation to a charity ball, where they dance and share a flirtatious conversation.
Chapter 5
III
Dan Oliphant returns home from New York and walks with his childhood friend Martha Shelby. He confesses that he is engaged to a woman from New York, causing Martha to react with quiet sadness. Dan expresses his deep attachment to his hometown and his hope to settle there with his fiancée.
Chapter 6
Chapter IV
Dan Oliphant visits his grandmother, Mrs. Savage, who warns him against marrying a New York girl and mixing 'stocks.' She argues that the strongest American stock came from yeoman English settlers who moved west, while Easterners are 'remnants.' Dan defends Lena McMillan and her family, but Mrs. Savage remains skeptical. The chapter also describes the changing neighborhood around Mrs. Savage's house, with new commercial buildings and an apartment house rising near older cottages.
Chapter 7
V
Dan announces his engagement to Lena McMillan to his parents and brother Harlan, receiving a lukewarm reception that contrasts with his idealized expectations. Afterward, he is called to nurse his sick cousin Charlie at Aunt Olive's house.
Chapter 8
VI
Harlan and Martha discuss Dan's ambitious but failing Ornaby Addition project. Harlan reveals that Dan has become the town's laughingstock, working tirelessly with a few laborers while trying to secure funding from bankers, including Martha's father. Martha challenges Harlan's lack of faith in Dan, and their conversation reveals tensions around family loyalty, optimism, and the value of Dan's dream.
Chapter 9
VII
Dan Oliphant struggles to promote Ornaby Addition while managing his relationship with Lena McMillan. He writes to Lena explaining the impossibility of a year abroad and the necessity of living in his city, causing tension. Meanwhile, Dan's appearance deteriorates as he dedicates himself to the project, and he seeks support from Mr. Joseph Kohn, who listens but remains skeptical.
Chapter 10
VIII
Lena McMillan struggles with her decision to marry Dan Oliphant, torn between her love for him and her fear of leaving New York for the Western frontier. She consults her brother George, who reveals his own disillusionment with New York society and warns Lena about her own self-destructive habits. The chapter explores the McMillan family's snobbery and their grudging acceptance of Dan as a suitor after Lena's scandalous affair with Perry Venable.
Chapter 11
Chapter IX
At their wedding reception, Lena is overwhelmed by the heat, the unfamiliar people, and the social expectations of Dan's world. She becomes increasingly distressed, particularly after an encounter with Dan's grandmother, Mrs. Savage, who publicly touches her rouged cheek and declares 'She's painted!' Lena flees to her room, where Dan finds her in a state of agitation. She expresses her misery, criticizes the climate, the guests, and especially Martha Shelby, whom she perceives as a rival. Dan is bewildered and hurt by her reaction, and their conversation reveals a growing rift between Lena's cosmopolitan sensibilities and the provincial life she has entered.
Chapter 12
The Heat of the Night
Dan Oliphant struggles to comfort his new wife Lena, who is overwhelmed by the heat and her new surroundings. Their tense interaction is observed by Martha Shelby, who shares a quiet moment with Dan at the fence. Lena's refusal to eat and her outburst against Dan's family highlight the growing rift between them, while Dan remains hopeful about their future at Ornaby Addition.
Chapter 13
Chapter XI
Dan takes Lena to see Ornaby Addition, but a violent thunderstorm ruins the outing. Lena becomes increasingly distressed by the storm and Dan's clumsy attempts to comfort her, especially when he mentions Martha Shelby's bravery in a similar storm. Later, Lena writes a scathing letter to her brother George, criticizing the West, the Oliphant family, and her marriage.
Chapter 14
XII
Harlan visits his dying grandmother, Mrs. Savage, who expresses her bitter opinions about Lena, Dan's wife, and the newborn baby. She condemns Lena as mercenary and bad, predicts the child's doom, and insists Dan should have married Martha Shelby. Harlan defends Lena mildly but ultimately agrees with his grandmother's harsh judgments. The chapter also reflects on Mrs. Savage's long presence in her window and her stubborn will to live despite her frailty.
Chapter 15
Chapter XIII
Harlan returns home from visiting Mrs. Savage, and his mother expresses anxiety about Dan, who has gone out celebrating the birth of his son. She suspects Dan may have gone to Martha Shelby's house, and asks Harlan to intervene to prevent Dan from making a fool of himself before Martha, who holds him in high regard.
Chapter 16
XIV
Harlan arrives at the Shelby home to find Dan and Fred Oliphant visiting Martha. Dan, elated over the birth of his son, passionately discusses his plans for Ornaby Addition and a new automobile factory with George McMillan. He asks Martha to be his son's godmother, while Harlan and Fred react with skepticism and dry humor.
Chapter 17
Chapter XV
At a family dinner celebrating the baby's arrival, Lena learns from Fred Oliphant that Dan visited Martha Shelby the night Henry Daniel was born and appointed her godmother. This revelation triggers a confrontation between Lena and Dan, exposing deep marital tensions and Lena's growing discontent.
Chapter 18
XVI
Dan Oliphant faces the imminent foreclosure of Ornaby Addition with only thirteen days to raise money. Despite his father's doubts and his mother's gentle warnings, Dan remains defiantly optimistic, even as potential buyers wait for the foreclosure. Meanwhile, Martha Shelby departs for an extended trip with her father, and Lena has chosen Aunt Olive as godmother for baby Henry Daniel, overriding Dan's wish for Martha. Mrs. Oliphant advises Dan to accept the situation, and Dan continues to insist he will find a way to save Ornaby.
Chapter 19
XVII
The day after Mrs. Savage's funeral, Mr. Oliphant reads her will to the family. Dan receives only $3,500, while Harlan inherits the bulk of the estate. Lena reacts angrily, believing the will is aimed at her. Dan, however, is elated that the money will save his Ornaby Addition project and rushes to secure the funds.
Chapter 20
XVIII
Dan Oliphant refuses financial help from his family after his grandmother's will, insisting on building Ornaby Addition himself. His parents try to persuade Harlan to assist, but Dan's pride and Harlan's principles create tension. Meanwhile, Dan's optimism and salesmanship begin to attract buyers, leading to the first house in Ornaby Addition.
Chapter 21
XIX
Harlan and Martha discuss Dan's Ornaby Addition project, with Harlan skeptical and Martha defending Dan's success. Martha has returned from an extended stay in Italy, leaving her father Mr. Shelby alone. Lena expresses bitterness over her unfulfilled promise of a European trip, contrasting with Martha's freedom.
Chapter 22
XX
Dan and Lena engage in a tense, silent standoff over Martha's return, revealing the erosion of their marriage. Later, Harlan and Martha discuss Dan's Ornaby Addition and the Renaissance, exposing their unchanged dynamic and Harlan's lingering feelings.
Chapter 23
XXI
Dan avoids visiting Martha after her return, leading to tense silence between him and Lena. Weeks later, on a hot Sunday, Dan's parents visit and praise a 'carpenter shop' he built for young Henry, who rebels against Sunday-school. Harlan and Martha arrive from church; Martha greets Dan cordially but warns him about rivals trying to take Ornaby Addition. Henry demands attention with failed somersaults. Later, Harlan and Martha discuss Lena's jealousy, Mrs. Savage's will, and the possibility that Mrs. Savage hoped Dan would eventually marry Martha.
Chapter 24
Chapter XXII
Martha reflects on Dan's absence and her feelings, while her father Mr. Shelby returns home furious about a confrontation with Dan over the streetcar line through Ornaby Addition. Martha defends Dan, but her father's cryptic remarks about her standing up for him unsettle her. Later, at a social event, the strained dynamic between Dan, Martha, and Harlan is evident, and Martha realizes Harlan is a constant companion but Dan remains at the heart of her thoughts.
Chapter 25
XXIII
Harlan and Martha drive through Ornaby Addition, observing Dan's rapid development of the area, including new bungalows, factories, and infrastructure. They discuss Lena's disinterest in building a home, Dan's ambitious but precarious financial state, and the transformation of the landscape from rural to suburban. Martha defends Dan's efforts, while Harlan criticizes the aesthetic destruction.
Chapter 26
Chapter XXIV
Dan Oliphant reflects on his father's health and final words of blessing and advice, while the city undergoes rapid transformation driven by industrial progress and destruction of old landmarks. Dan's father dies, and Dan continues his ambitious projects, including the park system and the demolition of National Avenue, causing tension with his brother Harlan and the old families.
Chapter 27
XXV
Dan Oliphant's father dies while Lena and Henry are abroad. Lena returns after a prolonged stay, looking younger than ever, but refuses to visit the new house Dan is building. Henry, now fifteen, smokes openly and shows indifference to his father's affections, revealing a growing distance between them. Lena contemplates leaving Dan, a thought she has harbored since Martha's return from Italy.
Chapter 28
Chapter XXVI
Martha clarifies to Harlan that her steadfastness for Dan is rooted in memory, not love, and gently deflects his annual marriage proposal. During a spring evening visit, Harlan finds George McMillan already with Martha, leading to a debate on beauty, progress, and the destructive impact of industrialization. The conversation is interrupted by Dan's son Henry recklessly driving a loud red car. Harlan invites Martha to the inaugural symphony concert featuring baritone Venable.
Chapter 29
Chapter XXVII
At a symphony concert, Martha and Harlan discuss Dan's absence and business worries. Dan arrives late with Sam Kohn, revealing a struggle to retain control of Ornaby Addition. Lena, who knows the singer Venable, plans to greet him after the concert, while George McMillan watches her closely. Later, Martha questions her father about bank loans, seeking reassurance about Dan's finances.
Chapter 30
XXVIII
Dan finds Henry drunk in a restaurant and decides to sell his car. When he returns home, Lena confronts him hysterically, blaming the town for Henry's behavior and demanding to leave with their son, leading to a violent argument.
Chapter 31
XXIX
Dan Oliphant faces a devastating day of financial collapse, losing control of Ornaby Addition and the Four, while also learning that his wife Lena has left for New York, taking their son Henry with her. Physically ill with fever and emotionally shattered, he entrusts his brother-in-law George McMillan with the task of bringing Henry back.
Chapter 32
The End of Dan Oliphant
Dan Oliphant lies dying, attended by Martha Shelby and his brother Harlan. In his final moments, he reflects on his failures, including the loss of Ornaby Addition, and acknowledges Harlan's help in preventing bankruptcy. Meanwhile, George McMillan returns from a failed negotiation with Lena, who refuses to return to Dan and insists on a settlement. Dan dies, leaving his family to mourn.
Chapter 33
XXXI
After the war, the old National Avenue is completely demolished, with Old Hickory Shelby's house being the last to go. Martha and Harlan drive through the transformed city, reflecting on the changes and Dan's lost vision. They return home to find Harlan's mother, who reminisces about the past and longs to see her grandson Henry. Martha suggests that Dan's spirit lives on in the city's murmur.
