Extract n°8 : Chapter 14 => On the stupidity of men

In this extract, after having sent the new necklace to Rachel, Nathan is getting worried as hedoesn’t have any news from her yet. As he really wants to be reconciled with his daughter, he knows that the only to have some of her news his tocall his ex-wife Edith, even if he doesn’t feel like doing it. So firstly, let’s analyze why we can say that Nathan is determined to make up with Rachel,then let’s explain why there is a sort of challenge between Edith and Nathan and finally let’s focus on the decisions he made after theirconversation.

A) Nathan: his willing to make up with his daughter

B) Nathan versus Edith: he feels powerless face to her
Nathan hadn’t had any news fromEdith for a long time, but he knows that after their divorce she didn’t let her go at all but on contrary she made the most of life. Indeed, Edithenjoyed her life. She did many things for her career and to have fun. She was having good time so it’s clear that she enjoys herself. She took pleasure indoing many things, but not only in intellectual things but in new hobbies as well. She’s got used to having and to developing a career and she’stotally satisfied with it. Moreover we are told that she even got a new man in her life, which is an old friend of Nathan. At least we can that say thatNathan is honest as even if he said it ironically, he admits that he somehow envies her.

2) During their conversation, Edith looked down on him