Point Counter Point · Chapter
XXXII explained
Elinor Quarles, alone in her mews house, anxiously awaits Everard Webley's visit, knowing she must make a decisive choice about their relationship.
What happens
Elinor Quarles, alone in her mews house, anxiously awaits Everard Webley's visit, knowing she must make a decisive choice about their relationship. Spandrell arrives unexpectedly, unsettling her with his dark humor. Meanwhile, Philip Quarles visits his father, who shares his disjointed dictaphone recordings of memories and reflections. Everard drives through a beautiful London evening, filled with confidence that Elinor will accept him, and arrives at her door to find no answer.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Obsession
Elinor's anxious anticipation of Everard's visit and her internal conflict about choosing him, contrasted with Everard's confident, almost obsessive certainty that she will say yes.
Modern Alienation and Despair
Elinor's fear of being alone and her terror at the knock on the door reflect a sense of modern isolation and anxiety.
Family and Dysfunction
Philip's visit to his father Sidney reveals a strained relationship, with Sidney's disjointed dictaphone recordings highlighting his self-absorption and fear of being forgotten.
Characters to notice
- Elinor Quarles
Alone in her house, anxiously arranging roses and anticipating Everard's visit, knowing she must make a decisive choice.
- Spandrell
Visits Elinor unexpectedly, unsettling her with dark, playful threats of murder.
- Everard Webley
Drives through London, filled with confidence and happiness, convinced Elinor will accept him; arrives at her door to find no answer.
- Philip Quarles
Visits his father and listens to his dictaphone recordings of disjointed memories and reflections.
- Sidney Quarles
Ill and recording his thoughts on a dictaphone, anxious about his legacy and sharing his 'Memories and Reflections of Fifty Years' with Philip.
Key passages
“She kept telling herself so, because she knew, underneath, she was prophetically certain, that the evening wouldn't be in the least like other evenings, but cardinal, decisive.”
Elinor tried to convince herself the evening would be ordinary, but deep down she knew it would be a pivotal moment requiring a choice.
Highlights Elinor's internal denial and the impending decision about Everard.
“The key to the problem of sex: passion is sacred, a manifestation of the divinitah.”
Sidney Quarles' dictaphone recording asserts that sexual passion is a sacred expression of divinity.
Reflects Sidney's eccentric and fragmented philosophical musings.
“He felt himself overflowing with life, extraordinarily vigorous and strong, inexplicably and (but for the fact that it would be at least five minutes before he saw Elinor) perfectly happy.”
Everard felt exuberant and full of life, almost perfectly happy except for the brief delay before seeing Elinor.
Captures Everard's euphoric confidence as he drives to Elinor's house.