Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 Summary

Barry is visiting his parents for dinner. His mother wants him to spend the upcoming summer with her visiting relatives, but Barry tells them he wants to go to Europe with his friends and live in hostels all summer. The difficulty lies in the fact that he expects his parents to pay for this summer trip because they have the money, yet it's not what they want him to do. Barry admits that if he wants their money he has to live by their standards.

Barry also reflects on his relationship with Helen. He wants Helen as a status symbol but doesn't want to commit to her. He understands that he started dating Helen because she was good-looking, but he continued dating her because he knew that her socio-economic status was a bother to his overbearing mother. Now, he...