Part 1, pages 19-35 Summary

The narrator walks through the streets, feeling sorry for himself and blaming God for singling him out for bad luck. His large meal makes him feel sick, and he is easily angered by passersby. As the narrator tries to write, he discovers that he has six barber coupons, so he can keep himself presentable for a while. He is too distracted to write and becomes obsessed by the flies and gnats on his paper. An old man sits down next to him, and the narrator turns from examining his own weakened body to examining his new companion, who is carrying a package wrapped in newspaper. The narrator feels driven to find out what's in it, imagining all kinds of romantic scenarios.

The narrator talks to the old man, trying to find out what's in the package. He winds up...