You Can’t Win · Chapter
VII explained
After escaping from jail, the narrator reunites with Smiler, and together they commit a burglary to obtain a coat and food.
What happens
After escaping from jail, the narrator reunites with Smiler, and together they commit a burglary to obtain a coat and food. They board a train, hide stolen watches in a coal car, and travel to Pocatello, Idaho, where they meet the fence Salt Chunk Mary to sell their loot.
Themes in this chapter
Underworld Code and Loyalty
Smiler and the narrator form a bond of mutual aid and trust, sharing loot and protecting each other from the law.
Survival and Adaptability
The narrator quickly adapts to a life of theft and vagrancy, learning from Smiler how to evade capture and secure necessities.
Characters to notice
- Smiler
The narrator's cellmate and partner in crime; he orchestrates the burglary and teaches the narrator the ropes.
- Mary
Salt Chunk Mary, a fence and friend to bums and thieves, who buys the stolen watches and provides a meal.
- Jeff Carr
A railroad bull in Cheyenne known for his hostility toward bums; mentioned as a threat to avoid.
Key passages
“I gave no thought to the burglary. It seemed right that I should have a coat and food. My money was behind in the jail. I couldn't buy them. I had stolen them. Somehow I felt satisfied, as if I had got even with somebody.”
The narrator felt no guilt about the burglary, rationalizing it as a justified act of survival and a way to settle a score with an unjust world.
Reflects the narrator's moral justification for theft as a response to his circumstances.
“How could a boy help admiring such wisdom? I was flattered to be taken up by one so experienced, so confident and active about his work, and withal, so carefree, happy, and smiling.”
The narrator looks up to Smiler as a mentor, impressed by his skill, confidence, and cheerful demeanor.
Highlights the narrator's admiration and the formative influence of Smiler on his criminal path.