His Family · Chapters

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Chapter companions for His Family by Ernest Poole.

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Chapter 1
Dedication
A brief dedication of the book to M. A.
Chapter 2
His Family
Roger Gale reflects on the changing landscape of New York and his family's place within it. He dines with his daughter Laura, whose upcoming wedding disrupts the household. His other daughter Deborah confides about her relationship with Joe Bolini and immerses herself in school work. Roger discusses Deborah with Allan Baird, while Edith rejoices at Deborah's engagement. The chapter also covers the tragic death of Bruce in a car accident and George comforting his mother afterward.
Chapter 3
I
Roger Gale, a rugged man nearing sixty, reflects on his life while playing chess with his daughter Edith. He recalls his youth in New Hampshire, his move to New York, his marriage to Judith, the death of their infant son, Judith's own death, and his subsequent spiritual crisis. After years of emotional numbness, he begins to re-engage with life through his daughters, especially Deborah and Laura. The chapter establishes his deep sense of unfinished lives and his struggle to fulfill a promise to his late wife.
Chapter 4
Chapter II
Roger Gale lies in bed, reflecting on his children—Edith's pregnancy, Bruce's relentless work, Deborah's teaching in the tenements, and Laura's wild behavior—and resolves to know them better. Later, Deborah returns home and they discuss Bruce's engineering, George's mischief with a rat, and Deborah's progressive educational ideas, which Roger finds unsettling. After Deborah plays the piano to relax, Roger secures the house and goes to bed, contemplating the encroaching modern city.
Chapter 5
III
Roger Gale attempts to connect with his daughter Laura by discussing modern books and plays, but she is preoccupied with her own news. She reveals her engagement to Harold Sloane, a young broker, and introduces him to Roger, who feels a mix of tenderness, remorse, and anxiety about the match. The next evening, Laura dines with her father before going out, and Roger struggles with his perception of her as a symbol of the modern, fast-paced city life, feeling old and out of touch.

Dedication

His Family

I

Chapter II

III