New Grub Street · Chapter
XXV: A Fruitless Meeting explained
Reardon struggles with self-pity and resentment after separating from Amy.
What happens
Reardon struggles with self-pity and resentment after separating from Amy. He sends her monthly remittances, which she deposits in their son Willie's name. A bitter correspondence ensues. Reardon meets Amy to demand a decision about their future; she refuses to return immediately, leading to a formal separation. Biffen visits Reardon, offering sympathy and trying to encourage him to resume writing, but Reardon remains despondent and unable to work.
Themes in this chapter
Poverty and Class
Reardon's poverty directly causes the breakdown of his marriage; his inability to provide a comfortable home leads to Amy's departure and his own descent into despair.
Marriage and Money
The chapter explores how financial strain destroys the marital bond, with Amy leaving Reardon due to his poverty and Reardon bitterly accusing her of valuing comfort over loyalty.
Characters to notice
- Edwin Reardon
Consumed by self-pity and resentment after separation from Amy; sends monthly remittances, corresponds bitterly, demands a decision from Amy, and refuses to resume literary work despite Biffen's encouragement.
- Amy Reardon
Living apart from Reardon; deposits his remittances in Willie's name, exchanges bitter letters, meets Reardon but refuses to return immediately, and agrees to a formal separation.
- Harold Biffen
Visits Reardon weekly, offers sympathy, defends Amy's actions, reads chapters of his novel 'Mr. Bailey, Grocer' to Reardon, and tries to encourage him to write again.
- Jasper Milvain
Mentioned as informing Reardon that Amy had fallen ill.
Key passages
“Refuge from despair is often found in the passion of self-pity and that spirit of obstinate resistance which it engenders.”
People sometimes cope with hopelessness by wallowing in self-pity and stubbornly fighting back against their circumstances.
Opening reflection on Reardon's psychological state.
“It was by force of commiserating his own lot that Edwin Reardon continued to live through the first month after his parting from Amy.”
Reardon survived the first month after separating from Amy only by feeling sorry for himself.
Explains Reardon's survival mechanism.
“I am far indeed from thinking that you can be pained by whatever I may undergo; that would suppose some generosity in your nature.”
I don't believe you care about my suffering at all; that would require you to be generous.
Reardon's bitter letter to Amy.
“If I had been strong enough to treat you as a child, and bid you follow me wherever my own fortunes led, it would have been as much better for you as for me.”
If I had been forceful enough to command you like a child to follow me, it would have been better for both of us.
Reardon's regret over not asserting dominance in the marriage.