Maggie A Girl of the Streets













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 Maggie A Girl of the Streets
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| Chapter 10 |
Jimmie spends the next day
wondering whether Pete knows that it is impolite to take Maggie and thereby
ruin her. That night, on his way in from work, the old beggar woman who he
used to shelter with during his parent's fights delightedly tells him of scene
she witnessed the night before. She tells him that Maggie and Pete returned
very late and Maggie was crying as if her heart would break. Maggie asked Pete
if he loved her and the old woman could tell that Maggie had asked that
particular question a lot that evening. Pete's response, "Oh, hell, yes" was
absolutely hilarious to the old woman and she repeats it as Jimmie storms up
the stairs. Jimmie finds that the apartment has been hastily straightened but
there is nobody there and Maggie's jacket and hat are gone. Jimmie looks out
the grimy window and thinks. He begins to wonder if some of the women he's
been with have brothers but instead his thoughts turn to anger. He considers
that Pete was his friend and exclaims aloud: "I'll kill deh jay!" just as his
mother enters. Jimmie tells Mary that Maggie has "gone teh deh devil" and the
woman is genuinely astounded. She delivers a stream of oaths and begs God to
curse her daughter forever. She wonders how such a bad girl could have grown
up in their family and enumerates all the good advice she'd given her. She
begins to compare Maggie to a girl down the hall that was ruined but Jimmie
interjects that Maggie was different but he cannot explain why. Jimmie barrels
out of the apartment determined to thrash Pete for all he's worth. On his way
out of the building Jimmie passes a group of ladies discussing Maggie and
delivering their verdict that she was meant to be damned. In the street Jimmie
encounters a friend who sympathizes with his cause but warns him he'll be
overwhelmed and arrested if he chooses to fight Pete in a public place.
Jimmie, however, is determined.
Analysis of Chapter 10
Mary apparently remembers
nothing of her behavior the night before or chooses to discount that her
treatment of her daughter would affect the girl to such a degree as to take up
with Pete. She judges her daughter based on her actions and completely
disregards the possibility that she might have done something to affect the
girl's choice. True to their nature, Mary responds to the news by loudly
condemning her daughter and defending herself as a worthy mother. Jimmie,
after briefly considering that he has duped girls in the same manner as Pete,
covers whatever introspection he might have entertained by turning immediately
to violence as an answer. Though this chapter determines Maggie's fate she is
entirely absent from it.
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