Summary

The narrator spends most of her time indoors. She occupies herself sitting in an armchair, “rereading the books” (1). She still does not understand prefaces. She is unsure why authors need to explain “their reasons for writing” (1). She wonders if this was customary in the past, a world she never knew. However, it seems senseless that anyone would “apologize for wanting to convey . . . knowledge” (1). Yet she is aware of her own ignorance. Because she has little understanding of emotion, it surprises her whenever she remembers Anthea and feels “a tremendous wave of grief” (2). Though she has never cried and now never speaks, she feels overcome by sorrow and calls out to Anthea. Anthea’s death and memory causes her the worst sorrow she has known. Meanwhile, her physical pain is often unbearable. However, it makes her realize she “too had loved,” “was capable of...