# II explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by P. G. Wodehouse.

## What happens

Rutherford Maxwell, an English bank clerk in New York, is visited by Peggy Norton, a chorus girl from 'The Island of Girls.' They engage in a playful conversation where Peggy criticizes his excessive politeness and encourages him to pursue writing instead of banking. Rutherford reveals his love for a girl in a photograph, and Peggy leaves, only to return later to continue their banter.

## Themes in this chapter

### Identity and Self-Improvement

Rutherford is torn between his secure but unfulfilling bank job and his desire to become a writer, reflecting a struggle for personal and professional identity.

### Loneliness and Connection

Rutherford's solitary writing life is interrupted by Peggy's visits, highlighting his need for human connection and the fleeting intimacy of their conversations.

## Character check-ins

### Rutherford Maxwell

An English bank clerk and aspiring writer, living in New York. He is polite and reserved, but shows affection for a girl in a photograph.

### Peggy Norton

A lively chorus girl from 'The Island of Girls' who visits Rutherford's room. She is direct and playful, teasing him about his manners and encouraging him to leave the bank.

## Key lines

> Then why don’t you make your fortune by hiring yourself out to a museum as the biggest human clam in captivity? That’s what you are. You sit there just saying ‘Thanks,’ and ‘Bai Jawve, thanks awf’lly,’ while a girl’s telling you nice things about your eyes and hair, and you don’t do a thing!

Peggy teases Rutherford for his passive and overly polite response to her compliments, suggesting he could make money as a silent exhibit in a museum.

_This highlights the cultural clash between American directness and English reserve, a key theme in the chapter._

> She would say: ‘I know you love me, and I know I can trust you, and I haven’t the slightest objection to your telling Miss Norton the truth about her eyes. Miss Norton is a dear, good little sort, one of the best, in fact, and I hope you’ll be great pals!’

Rutherford imagines the girl in the photograph giving him permission to compliment Peggy, showing his loyalty and the idealized nature of his distant love.

_This reveals Rutherford's emotional attachment to an absent woman and his attempt to maintain boundaries with Peggy._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_42_se/chapters/ii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_42_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_42_se/chapters