Chapters 15 and 16 Summary and Analysis
Summary
Dr. Sloper is nonplussed at Catherine’s reaction to his announcement that he
does not approve of her engagement: she has no reaction. He cannot decide if
she if giving him a silent reprimand or merely being an obedient daughter.
Catherine, in the meantime, is enjoying the feeling of being an obedient daughter. She writes a letter to Morris, telling him that they should not meet until she has made up her mind. Morris, irate, writes back saying he thought she had already made up her mind. He informs her that her father had been very violent in the conversation he had with Morris, while Morris himself was the picture of self-control. In fact, it had been the exact opposite. Yet Catherine is determined to avoid open rebellion. She believes that somehow, if she continues to be good, the situation will change, although she does not see the possibility that her father may yield.
Mrs. Penniman, however, is enjoying the drama. She hopes that the young couple will elope and that she herself will play a major role (in fact, the major role) in the secret (or “private”) marriage. She has continuously written to Morris and now decides that she should meet with him at some private location. She decides on an oyster bar far from Washington Square. Morris is not looking forward to the meeting, but he knows that Mrs. Penniman is a necessary evil in his plot to marry Catherine.
At the oyster bar, Mrs. Penniman is extremely excited at the plans she has in mind. She informs Morris that she does not think her brother will yield. He cannot be persuaded to do so, because he is convinced only by facts. Mrs. Penniman therefore recommends that Morris and Catherine elope. Mrs. Penniman tells Morris of a time that her husband performed the ceremony for an eloping couple. While she cannot do likewise, she can help him by “watching.” Morris decides that Mrs. Penniman is an idiot, but he must still tolerate her for the moment. Mrs. Penniman points out that if he elopes with Catherine, it will prove to Dr. Sloper that he is unconcerned about the money. Morris objects that he is interested in it and cannot see what he will gain by Mrs. Penniman’s plan. She informs Morris that Dr. Sloper is motivated by his sense of duty, so she believes that eventually he will come around and “do right” by Catherine. Morris is unsure; he would rather be able to depend on the money.
As he walks Mrs. Penniman back home to Washington Square, she continues to play the role of savior. She points out her window, should he ever need anything. All that Morris can see is that the Sloper home is a very comfortable house indeed.
Analysis
In this section, the major characters (minus Dr. Sloper) reveal themselves more fully. Catherine revels in the role of the dutiful daughter. It is in this instance that she shows that she is indeed her father’s offspring. For both of them, duty is the foundational motivation for all their actions. It is of higher priority even than love—either a father’s love for his daughter, or a woman’s love for her lover. Whether or not this engagement is right or wrong, it is seen through the filter of duty by both Dr. Sloper and Catherine. Dr. Sloper believes that Catherine will not continue with the relationship because of her dutiful devotion to her father. Catherine assumes this as well and writes to Morris to inform him that, though at one point she had made up her...
(This entire section contains 974 words.)
Unlock this Study Guide Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
mind, she has now “unmade” it, and must wait to see what the future holds in respect to her father.
Mrs. Penniman reveals herself to be extremely self-absorbed. Her concern in the relationship between Morris and Catherine is not her niece’s happiness (nor Morris’s happiness), but her own part in the drama. Her concern is not to see the resolution to the conflict between Catherine, Morris, and Dr. Sloper, but to prolong it so that she herself can play an even bigger role in it. Morris sees, and announces through the narrator, that Mrs. Penniman is “an idiot.” Yet he cannot cast her aside just yet. He still needs her as a go-between.
As the narrator becomes more transparent as to Morris’s inner dialogue, the reader can see that Morris is indeed as untrustworthy as Dr. Sloper has judged him to be. It is clear that he is manipulating Mrs. Penniman by convincing her that she has the upper hand. In fact, he has decided she is almost inconsequential except as a messenger. Unfortunately, she is the only messenger he has, so he must keep contact with her. Morris also becomes more vocal about his view concerning the importance of Catherine’s money. It is becoming evident that, without the money, Catherine is not quite the draw that he had earlier insinuated. He tells Mrs. Penniman outright that he does indeed want the money. Mrs. Penniman, however, is positioning him in a place where romance and adventure are the major draws. Both will eventually be disappointed with this plan.
Catherine and Dr. Sloper remain static in their character traits—dutiful, methodical, cold. Love for Catherine is easy to set aside in order to fulfill her duty to her father. Yet it is also clear that the complete story has yet to be told. Catherine gives hints that she is still her own woman. Although she enjoys being the dutiful daughter, it is not a blind following of her father’s will that is her plan. Knowing fully her father’s determination, she still has some vague hope that “something” will happen. She gives no evidence that she herself may be the instigator for that change.
