Addie - Chapter 40 Summary

The story moves back to the time before Addie and Anse married. Addie is working as a schoolteacher, hating her life and hating her students. In fact, she hates her students so much that her only pleasure is in punishing them.

One day, after classes are over, Anse comes into her school. She knows who he is, because he has been driving his wagon by the door for several days in order to get a look at her, but this is their first real meeting. While he uncomfortably tries to talk to Addie, he mentions that he would like to marry her. Soon after, Addie and Anse are married.

Unfortunately, their marriage is far from happy. In fact, after Addie has Cash, and then Darl, she resents Anse entirely and begins to sleep with another man. However, despite her...