Chapters 17 and 18 Summary and Analysis

In Chapter seventeen, three months after Russell and Mimi start dating, he brings her to Sunday dinner. Russell is worried, suspecting his mother will dislike Mimi. Mimi dresses up with makeup, a modern hairstyle, and a sexy dress, heightening Russell's fear. Lucy is pleasant and polite, but afterwards, Mimi says Lucy doesn't like her. The next day, Lucy tells Russell that Mimi might not look bad, if she didn't wear so much makeup.

Mimi comes to more dinners, but she and Lucy continue to be at odds. Russell's mother starts waiting up for him at night. When, creeping in one dawn, he finally admits to being at Mimi's, she accuses him of being just like his father. Mimi stops coming to dinner. Russell doesn't think she's the right kind of girl to marry, but he doesn't want to end...