Chapter 3 Summary

Nine years have passed since Tom and Luke went to visit their sister in New York, and Tom, now unemployed and falling apart himself, arrives to help Savannah survive this latest suicide attempt. He goes immediately to the office of Dr. Lowenstein, the psychiatrist in charge of Savannah's case. She is just the latest in a long line of professionals who have never been able to really help Savannah. In the waiting room of the doctor's office, Tom finds a copy of his sister's book of poetry entitled The Prince of Tides.

Tom reads the first poem and understands the imagery and its sources. He turns back to the dedication and reads, "Man wonders but God decides, When to kill the Prince of Tides." (Page 56) Dr. Lowenstein walks in as he is reading and wants to know who the Prince of Tides is...