Pentimento Summary and Analysis

In 1961, a few weeks after Hammet died, Lillian moved to Cambridge to teach a seminar at Harvard. She and Helen took an apartment on the top floor of the student building. She had arranged for Hammet to stay in a nearby nursing home before he died. She had trouble sleeping and would walk at night usually winding up in front of the nursing home. Helen came and found her one night. The next day she told her that she couldn't bring him back by standing in front of the nursery home in the snow. Helen had hired a young boy, Jimsie, to help her with chores. On another night, Helen sent Jimsie to find Lillian. As he coaxed her to come home, she said, "Pentimento" on her breath.

Jimsie was beaten by the cops one night and Helen moved him in...