The Magnificent Ambersons · Chapter
XI explained
George and Lucy's estrangement ends after three weeks, and their friendship resumes.
What happens
George and Lucy's estrangement ends after three weeks, and their friendship resumes. George grows jealous of Lucy's popularity with other young men and older people, including his own family. At a Sunday dinner, Major Amberson teases Eugene about a past serenade and his broken bass fiddle, hinting at a romantic rivalry with Wilbur for Isabel. George remains resentful of Eugene's closeness to his mother and argues with Aunt Fanny about her behavior toward Eugene. On the last night before George returns to college, Isabel expresses her sadness about his departure and worries about Wilbur's health and financial troubles from investments in rolling mills.
Themes in this chapter
Gossip and Reputation
George worries about people talking about Aunt Fanny's behavior with Eugene, and the family discusses past romantic entanglements openly at dinner.
Illusion of Permanence
Isabel reflects on how things like smoke disappear into the sky, symbolizing the fleeting nature of youth, happiness, and solid possessions.
Materialism and Social Climbing
Wilbur's financial worries from rolling-mill investments highlight the precariousness of wealth and the social pressures of maintaining status.
Characters to notice
- George Amberson Minafer
Resumes friendship with Lucy after a three-week estrangement; shows jealousy toward her other admirers; argues with Aunt Fanny about her behavior; dismisses his mother's worries about his father's health and finances.
- Lucy Morgan
Reconciles with George; is popular as a 'village belle' with both young people and older family members; flirts with old people, especially Major Amberson.
- Isabel Amberson
Blushes at the Major's teasing about Eugene and Wilbur; expresses sadness about George leaving for college; worries about Wilbur's health and financial losses from rolling-mill investments.
- Fanny Minafer
Defends her friendliness toward Eugene against George's criticisms; argues hotly with George, calling him a 'little snippet'; is teased by George about being a 'stepmother-in-law'.
- Major Amberson
Hosts Sunday dinners; teases Eugene about a past serenade and broken bass fiddle; jokes that Eugene's mishap led to Isabel marrying Wilbur; drinks three glasses of champagne.
- Wilbur Minafer
Placidly accepts the Major's teasing about Isabel; is described as looking unwell and worrying about investments in rolling mills.
Key passages
“In the matter of coolness, George met Lucy upon her own predetermined ground; in fact, he was there first, and, at their next encounter, proved loftier and more formal than she did. Their estrangement lasted three weeks, and then disappeared without any preliminary treaty: it had worn itself out, and they forgot it.”
George and Lucy's cold war ended naturally after three weeks, with George acting even more aloof than Lucy until they simply moved on.
Describes the end of their estrangement and the resumption of their friendship.
“The fact is, I believe if Eugene hadn't broken that bass fiddle and given himself away, Isabel would never have taken Wilbur! I shouldn't be surprised if that was about all the reason that Wilbur got her!”
Major Amberson jokes that Eugene's drunken mishap with a bass fiddle during a serenade was what led Isabel to marry Wilbur instead.
Reveals past romantic rivalry between Eugene and Wilbur for Isabel.
“I mean the things that we have and that we think are so solid—they're like smoke, and time is like the sky that the smoke disappears into.”
Isabel muses that material possessions and moments in life are fleeting, like smoke dissolving into the eternal sky of time.
Reflects the theme of the illusion of permanence.
