Chapter 6 Summary

Morris receives a flyer about the opening of the Norwegians' new grocery next morning. He is not sure that he has done the right thing dismissing Frank, who left without his $15 weekly pay. Morris sees that Frank really is trying to pay back his thefts, but Morris knows he needs to have let Frank go, for Ida's sake and also for Helen's. The shock of the news of the new grocery opening has chilled Morris who cannot get warm again. He goes upstairs to bed, cold and sick. In his dreams he fights with the Norwegian grocers and with Frank, as though his lungs will burst.

Frank has slept upstairs but wakes unhappy, realizing that he has lost his job and worse, that he has violated Helen, who he loves. He is disgusted with himself, right down to his smell. He is eaten...