Crome Yellow · Chapter
XXI explained
In the granary, Gombauld paints Anne's portrait while they engage in a tense argument about her flirtatious behavior.
What happens
In the granary, Gombauld paints Anne's portrait while they engage in a tense argument about her flirtatious behavior. Gombauld accuses Anne of playing games with him and with Denis, which she indignantly denies. The portrait he paints is a maliciously accurate but unflattering depiction of her lazy, expressionless mask.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
Denis’s decision to send the telegram ordering himself back to town marks the story’s dramatic climax because…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Art and Artifice
Gombauld's portrait of Anne is described as both terribly like and a malicious lie, highlighting the tension between artistic representation and reality.
- Love and Sexual Repression
The argument between Anne and Gombauld revolves around desire, flirtation, and accusations of manipulation, revealing repressed tensions.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“The portrait was terribly like; and at the same time it was the most malicious of lies.”
The painting captured Anne's likeness perfectly but distorted her character in a cruel way.
Reflects the theme of art and artifice, where representation can be both accurate and deceptive.
“In ninety-nine cases out of a hundred women are as passive and innocent as the strawberries and cream.”
Anne argues that women are typically not the instigators of romantic advances, comparing them to passive objects of desire.
Highlights the gender dynamics and sexual tension in the chapter.
