Short Fiction · Chapter
I: Quick Returns explained
The narrator and his wife Ella, along with her sister Kate, inherit a fortune from Ella's stepfather.
What happens
The narrator and his wife Ella, along with her sister Kate, inherit a fortune from Ella's stepfather. They move from South Bend to New York City to find a better life and a suitable husband for Kate. The chapter details their struggles to fit in with their old social circle and their decision to relocate.
Themes in this chapter
Class and Aspiration
The family's move from South Bend to New York is driven by a desire to climb the social ladder and find a suitable match for Kate, reflecting the theme of class aspiration.
Marriage and Gender Roles
Ella's plan to 'manage' Kate and find her a husband highlights the traditional gender roles and the importance of marriage for women in this era.
Characters to notice
- Ella
The narrator's wife, who is determined to move to New York to find a husband for her sister Kate.
- Kate Hayes
Ella's sister, the object of the family's plan to find a wealthy husband in New York.
Key passages
“It will just be taking money out of one investment and putting it in another.”
Spending the principal is like moving money from one investment to another, implying that investing in Kate's future is a worthwhile use of funds.
Ella justifies spending their inheritance on the move to New York as an investment in Kate's marriage prospects.
“I got two lowers and an upper in spite of the Government, and with two taxi drivers and the baggageman thronging the station platform we pulled out of South Bend and set forth to see Life.”
Despite wartime travel restrictions, the family secured train accommodations and departed from South Bend to start a new life in New York.
The narrator describes their departure with a sense of adventure and the challenges of wartime travel.