Chapters 16, 17, and 18 Summary

Carol's newfound pleasure in Kennicott is short-lived. She passes an unhappy Christmas, when her husband barely notices the effort she has made to create the perfect holiday. For the first time in a long time, Carol cries for the memory of her beloved father brought on by his love for this special time of year.

Kennicott's interests include only five things, which are medicine, land investments, Carol, driving and hunting. Carol tries to immerse herself in each as much as possible, in order to maintain a connection with her husband. Eventually, she retreats back into her own world of literature and the arts, which do not appeal to Kennicott in the slightest.

Even a night out at the movies ends in discord, because Carol and Kennicott cannot agree on which picture to see or the interpretation of what they do view...