The Turmoil · Chapter
XXXII explained
James Sheridan visits Mary Vertrees to plead for Bibbs, revealing that Bibbs has fully committed to the family business out of love for her, not ambition.
What happens
James Sheridan visits Mary Vertrees to plead for Bibbs, revealing that Bibbs has fully committed to the family business out of love for her, not ambition. Mary confesses she cannot see Bibbs because she believes he only proposed out of pity after learning of her past attempt to secure Roscoe's affection. Sheridan argues that Bibbs's sacrifices prove his deep love, and he shares Dr. Gurney's theory that Mary's presence was crucial to Bibbs's recovery, subtly asking her to allow Bibbs to visit again.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Sacrifice
Bibbs gives up his own ambitions and works in the machine shop out of love for Mary, while Sheridan sacrifices his pride to plead for his son.
Class and Social Mobility
Mary's past attempt to secure Roscoe's affection is driven by her family's financial ruin, highlighting the pressures of class and poverty.
Family and Legacy
Sheridan's concern for Bibbs's well-being and his desire to see his son succeed in the business reflect the theme of family legacy.
Characters to notice
- James Sheridan
Visits Mary Vertrees to advocate for Bibbs, revealing his own injury from trying to teach Bibbs a machine and his growing respect for Bibbs's commitment to the business.
- Mary Vertrees
Struggles with guilt and pride, confessing to Sheridan that she believes Bibbs's proposal was motivated by pity, not love, and refuses to see him despite her own feelings.
- Bibbs Sheridan
Referenced extensively as having given up his own desires to work in the family business for Mary's sake, and as the subject of Dr. Gurney's theory about his mental improvement.
- Dr. Gurney
Mentioned as the doctor who treated Sheridan's hand and who theorizes that Mary's companionship was key to Bibbs's recovery.
- Roscoe Sheridan
Referenced as the older son whom Mary had previously tried to attract due to her family's poverty.
Key passages
“I had to make Bibbs go my way instead of his own—I had to do it for the sake o’ my business and on his own account, too—and I expect you got some idea how it hurt him to give up.”
Sheridan admits he forced Bibbs to abandon his own plans for the good of the business and for Bibbs himself, acknowledging the pain it caused.
Sheridan explains his motivation for pushing Bibbs into the family business.
“He says Bibbs got to gettin’ better while he worked over there at the shop because you kept him cheered up and feelin’ good.”
Dr. Gurney believes Bibbs's health improved because Mary's presence lifted his spirits.
Sheridan relays the doctor's theory to persuade Mary to see Bibbs again.
“Bibbs found me out, you see; and he wasn’t ‘in love’ with me at all.”
Mary believes Bibbs discovered her past and therefore his proposal was not genuine love but pity.
Mary's central conflict: she thinks Bibbs's love is not real.