"Lamps (1939)" Summary

Herr Schneider pays to have his door and the rose garden repaired. He is defensive when the narrator delivers a letter mistakenly delivered to them. Friedrich is in the kitchen, surrounded by lamps of all kinds, which he is testing and repairing. No longer allowed to work, his father collects rusted old lamps from his friends. He polishes them, once Friedrich has fixed them. The narrator promises to look around for business for them. Friedrich takes his father's letter and opens it. His face changes suddenly, and he announces Resch has again given notice. Herr Schneider comforts his weeping 14-year-old son, and then sees their visitor out. He begs the narrator not to give them away, lest they take away what little they have left.

"Lamps (1939)" Analysis

Forbidden to work legally, the Schneiders mend old lamps in their apartment until evicted...