Short Fiction · Chapter
Mr. and Mrs. Fix-It explained
The narrator describes his wife Ada's meddlesome friends, particularly Tom and Belle Stevens, whom he nicknames 'Mr.
What happens
The narrator describes his wife Ada's meddlesome friends, particularly Tom and Belle Stevens, whom he nicknames 'Mr. and Mrs. Fix-It' for their constant interference in his and Ada's lives. The Stevenses try to get the couple to break their lease and move to the North Side, send over a new cook uninvited, and even take over their plans to attend a football game, resulting in poor seats. The narrator humorously recounts his frustration with their overbearing helpfulness.
Themes in this chapter
Marriage and Gender Roles
The narrator's wife Ada is portrayed as unable to say no to her friends, while the narrator feels his home is being taken over by the Stevenses, highlighting the dynamics of their marriage and societal expectations.
Satire of Media and Business
The narrator satirizes the boosterism of local organizations and the self-promotion of characters like Tom Stevens, who claims connections to famous figures like Stagg.
Characters to notice
- Mrs. Thayer
A friend of Ada's who gives elocution readings and complains about her hair; her husband is a handy man.
- Mr. Robert Frisbie
Mentioned as a friend of the narrator's who is part of the 'rummy' bunch.
- Mr. Edwards
Mentioned as another of the narrator's old friends, part of the dull crowd.
- Mr. Grant
Mentioned as one of the narrator's old friends who is not very lively.
Key passages
“But the cat’s nightgown is Tom Stevens and his wife. There’s the team that wins the Olympics!”
The most remarkable couple is Tom Stevens and his wife, who are like champions at being intrusive.
The narrator uses a humorous comparison to emphasize the Stevenses' extreme behavior.
“I never in my life seen anybody as crazy to run other people’s business. Honest to heavens, it’s a wonder they let us brush our own teeth!”
I've never met anyone so eager to meddle in others' affairs; they even try to control our most personal routines.
Hyperbole to express the narrator's exasperation with the Stevenses' interference.
“I said to Stevens, I said: “If these is the seats Mr. Stagg digs up for his old pals, I suppose he leads strangers twenty or thirty miles out in the country and blindfolds ’em and ties ’em to a tree.””
I sarcastically remarked to Stevens that if these are the great seats Stagg gives his friends, he must treat strangers even worse.
The narrator mocks Stevens's claimed friendship with Stagg due to the poor seating.