# Contract explained — Short Fiction > Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Ring Lardner. ## What happens The Sheltons move to the suburb of Linden, where Mrs. Shelton hopes to make friends and play contract bridge. They are invited to a weekly bridge party by the Frenches. At the party, Shelton endures constant criticism of his play from the other guests, including Mrs. French, Mrs. Dittmar, and Cameron, who treat him as a novice. Despite his polite demeanor, Shelton is inwardly annoyed but maintains his composure for his wife's sake. ## Themes in this chapter ### Marriage and Gender Roles The chapter explores the dynamics of the Shelton marriage, with Mrs. Shelton's desire for social life and Shelton's reluctant compliance for her sake. The bridge party also reveals traditional gender roles, as the women are often the most vocal critics. ### Satire of Media and Business The story satirizes the pretensions of suburban social life, where bridge becomes a serious business and players act as self-appointed experts, mirroring the competitive and critical nature of the media world. ### Class and Aspiration The Sheltons' move to Linden represents their upward mobility, and the bridge party is a way to cement their social standing. The other players' condescension highlights class tensions. ## Character check-ins ### Mrs. Shelton Anxious about making friends in the new suburb, she is delighted when the Frenches invite them to a bridge party. She worries about her own bridge skills but is grateful for her husband's willingness to socialize. ### Mr. Shelton The associate editor who reluctantly agrees to attend the bridge party. He tolerates the constant criticism of his play with polite smiles, though he is inwardly seething. ### Mrs. French One of the bridge party hosts. She is pretty but tactless, criticizing Shelton's play and making condescending remarks about his work. ### Mr. Cameron A fellow bridge player who is overly competitive and critical, treating Shelton as an ignorant novice. He is obsessed with the game and takes it very seriously. ### Mrs. Dittmar A bridge player who acts childishly, calling her husband 'Daddy' and making gushing, critical comments about Shelton's play. She is described as a 'child-wife'. ## Key lines > It’s a conviction of most bridge players, and some golf players, that God sent them into the world to teach. Most bridge players, and some golfers, believe they are divinely appointed to instruct others. _Shelton's internal commentary on the arrogance of bridge players._ > His polite reception of each criticism was taken as a confession of ignorance and a willingness to learn, and his three table-mates were quick to assume the role of faculty, with him as the entire student-body. His courteous acceptance of criticism was misinterpreted as admitting ignorance, so the others treated him like a student and themselves as teachers. _Describes how Shelton's politeness backfired, leading to more condescension._ > Mrs. Dittmar had married a man much younger than herself and was trying to disguise that fact by acting much younger than he. Mrs. Dittmar, who married a younger man, tried to hide the age difference by behaving even more childishly than him. _A satirical observation about Mrs. Dittmar's behavior._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_62_se/chapters/contract - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_62_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_62_se/chapters