Age of Iron: Chapter 4 Summary & Analysis

Mrs. Curren has a dream where she envisions Florence walking with Hope and Beauty down Government Avenue. In this dream, Mrs. Curren puts on a circus act, but Florence pays no attention to her. As the dream unfolds, Mrs. Curren performs fire tricks, and she notices Florence looking like a goddess, dressed in a white slip with bare feet. Florence is pointing toward something, but Mrs. Curren cannot see what it is. Then, Mrs. Curren becomes engulfed in blue flames.

Upon waking, Mrs. Curren shares her dream with Vercueil, and she says that everything in the dream symbolizes something else. She expresses her reluctance to go to the hospital, fearing they will put her in a drug-induced coma, depriving her of dreaming. She feels that her dreams are one of the few deeply meaningful parts of her life that she has left, and she wants to hold on to them.

Later, Mrs. Curren asks Vercueil to fix her radio, but he suggests bringing in a TV instead. Mrs. Curren rejects his offer, but he brings in the TV anyway. Together, they watch as the South African anthem plays and a blue flag waves in the background. The display of nationalism irritates Mrs. Curren, and she tells Vercueil to turn off the television. Instead, Vercueil turns up the volume and dances to the anthem, infuriating her further. Vercueil eventually switches it off, reassuring her that the turmoil in South Africa will end soon. He also tells Mrs. Curren that she needs to lighten up and allow herself to have fun.

Later, Mrs. Curren reflects on her desire not to be put into a drug-induced sleep, as sleep provides her only respite from suffering. The same day, she loses consciousness and then awakens from a bout of apparent madness, scribbling on the walls. Thinking she must have had an adverse reaction to her medication, she calls her doctor and requests a new prescription. Her doctor tells her that she should come see him if she wants to receive proper care. However, Mrs. Curren insists upon staying in her home and once again asks for a new prescription. Eventually, the doctor gives in and writes her the prescription she wants. However, he warns her that the new pills may not help and that she needs to come to hospital if she does not want the end of her life to become a nightmare.

Mrs. Curren receives the new pills, but, as the doctor suggested might happen, they offer little relief. Mrs. Curren questions Vercueil about why he chose her, and he responds that he didn’t choose her. She inquires why he came to her house, and he explains it was because she didn’t have a dog and wouldn’t cause trouble. In a tense moment, Vercueil briefly puts his hands around her throat, suggesting that he could end her suffering at any moment. The thought of her death makes Mrs. Curren sob. After pulling herself together, she asks if Vercueil’s dog can sleep in her bed for warmth, but Vercueil insists the dog only sleeps where he does. Mrs. Curren suggests Vercueil sleep in her bed as well. He agrees to the arrangement and climbs into the bed. The dog jumps up as well to sleep between them.

Mrs. Curren gradually learns more about Vercueil’s past, including his hand injury and experiences in Russia and China. Concerned about his future, she discusses what will happen to him after her death. She promises to watch over him in the afterlife if that is a possibility. Mrs. Curren expresses worry about Vercueil’s ability to care for himself, mentioning his unusual food preferences. However, Vercueil himself is largely unconcerned. He thinks he will be able to continue on, just as he always has.

Every night, Vercueil and his dog sleep by Mrs. Curren’s side to help keep her warm. Vercueil also helps her with household chores and tries to soothe her when she is in pain. Mrs. Curren tells Vercueil about how she used to be a classics teacher in her younger years. She quotes him some lines from Virgil, which pique Vercueil’s interest. He asks her if she would be willing to help him learn Latin. Mrs. Curren tells him she would be happy to teach him with what time she has left. However, she knows there is much he will not have time to learn because her death is near. She regrets not having more time to teach Vercueil.

Mrs. Curren considers asking Vercueil to deliver her papers to her daughter in the United States in person but knows he won’t agree to it. Mrs. Curren reflects on her lack of connection with her grandchildren and her general feelings of loneliness. She regrets that she does not know more about her daughter’s life and desperately wishes they were together. She also thinks that Vercueil is lonely like her, and she regrets not being able to provide him with more companionship.

One night, Mrs. Curren wakes up feeling cold. She finds that Vercueil is not in her bed. Instead, he is standing on the balcony attached to her bedroom, allowing the wind to blow into her room. She asks Vercueil what he is looking at, but he does not respond. Then, she asks him, “Is it time?” Again, Vercueil does not respond. Instead, he approaches the bed and forcibly embraces her. The breath rushes out of Mrs. Curren, and she feels no warmth in his embrace.