Chapters 6,7,8

Chapter 6, 7 and 8
In Chapter 6 we learn about Cal’s struggles within himself. He repeatedly asks himself who he is and fails to find an answer. While he’s trying to answer a question his mind wanders off and focuses on a man named Arnold Bacon. Arnold Bacon was a nationally known tax attorney. Arnold had stopped Cal one day, when Cal was a senior in high school, asking him about his future plans. He had told Cal that he was smart and would be very good in law. By the end of the week Cal had been enrolled in prelaw school and had a new part time job. Arnold helped him with Profs, school work, finances and anything else he needed, Arnold was the closest thing Cal had to a father. We also learned in this chapter that Cal had attended an orphanage when he was little and that his mother is dead. (Guest, page 49, Ordinary People). In Chapter 6 we also learn a little bit more about Beth. We learn even further that she’s not comfortable with Conrad. She won’t talk to him and expects Cal too. In Chapter 7 We meet Karen, Karen is one of Con’s friends from the rehabilitation centre. The Chapter’s setting is in a coffee shop. Con tries to calm the mood with a few jokes; however Karen doesn’t find them funny and tells Con not to joke about their situation. Before Karen leaves she tells Conrad, “we should both be careful about who we see. It isn’t good for either of us to get down.” (Guest, Page 57, Ordinary People) Karen is referring to Conrad in this. Earlier in the chapter Karen told Con she was afraid to see him, because he sounded down on the phone. (Page 54) Karen quickly left the coffee shop and left Conrad sitting there. In Chapter 8 we first hear about Cal’s drinking problem and that the day usually ends with Cal drinking a little too much. Cal asked Conrad if he wanted to go to London for Christmas, and Conrad said yes if his mom wanted to go, he would go. Beth over heard this, and on Beth and Calvin’s way to the Murray’s house she questioned Cal about the London trip, then said it was too late to go anyway. Calvin didn’t really want to go to the Murray’s as they don’t really know the Murray’s and Phillip Murray always tosses bad lawyer jokes at Cal. However, Beth wanted to go so Cal went. At the dinner party, the other guests start asking questions about Conrad. Beth quickly says he’s fine and tries to end the conversation. Later that evening, Sara Murray asked Cal about Conrad. Calvin had been drinking too much and he told her that Conrad was doing well and seeing a psychiatrist. This set off Beth and Beth immediately wanted to leave. In the car on the way home, Beth told Cal he drinks too much and that it was an invasion of privacy to tell the guests that.


Chapter 6, 7 and 8 analysis


This section of the novel gives us very important background information on Cal. We learn that Cal never had a father or a mother, which may be why he is so protective of Conrad. Arnold Beacon took Cal in and set him up with school, and basically got him to where he is now in life. Arnold was Cal’s only father figure. Calvin is starting to feel resent for losing touch with Arnold. He didn’t even attend Arnold’s funeral. Arnold however didn’t believe in marriage while still in school. This resulted in Arnold and Beth not getting along at all. Beth shows us in chapter six that she isn’t comfortable with Conrad by always getting Calvin to talk to him and never doing it herself. Calvin however is torn between. Calvin wants her to talk to Conrad and get to know him and forgive him for the attempted suicide. In chapter seven we meet Karen, Karen is a girl from the recovery centre that Con attended after the attempted suicide. Karen was very unsure to meet with Conrad. However she still did. The meeting was awkward and Karen didn’t want to be there. She didn’t want to associate with anything that reminded her of the hospital. Karen is making a mistake here; she is trying to completely forget what happened and move on. She needs to forgive herself and move on instead. This brings us to another theme in this novel—forgiveness. Conrad left the coffee shop upset. When Karen left she told Con he has to be careful who he sees because it’s not good to get down. She was referring to Conrad as ‘getting her down’. Karen does not have much faith in herself or Conrad. The next big piece of info in this section of the novel is Calvin’s drinking problem. Calvin is becoming an alcoholic, if he isn’t already. This bugs Beth. Beth took Calvin to a friend’s house one evening for supper. Calvin didn’t like these people but Beth made him go anyway. At the dinner party people were questioning Calvin about Conrad, how he is doing, how the treatment went, if he’s any different. Calvin was open to talk to them about it; however Beth found it embarrassing and didn’t want to talk about it. Beth wanted to leave after the subject came up. On the way home, Beth was enraged with Calvin for talking about Con. She said it’s none of anyone else’s business, which she is right, but she is embarrassed by what happened and doesn’t want to be judged by it. Calvin and Beth’s marriage is at risk. They don’t talk and when they do they are fighting. Beth pushes Calvin everywhere and Calvin’s starting to realize that and doesn’t like it. As for Con, he’s upset about Karen, but he tries not to let it get him down.