Chapters XI, XII and XIII Summary

Sara is working at the laundry when she begins daydreaming about food and burns a shirt. It costs her three dollars in wages. She is already facing financial difficulties. She carefully goes over her expenses. She pays carfare but does not feel she can eliminate that because there simply is not enough time for her to walk to work and then to her night classes. She is barely eating enough to survive and is hungry. At the Grand Street Cafeteria, there is an advertisement for beef stew for twenty cents. She asks for a bowl and the server gives her a small portion. The man behind her gets a large bowl with chunks of meat and Sara complains. She is urged to take the bowl or step out of line. She decides that she is...