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Chapter 3
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in McTeague, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Greed and Self-Destruction
Naturalism
Gender Stereotypes
Class Struggle
Isolation vs. Connection
Summary
Analysis
McTeague finishes his work on Trina’s teeth, and then they do not see each other again for some time. McTeague is still in love with Trina but feels she has slipped from his grasp. One day, McTeague has lunch with Marcus. After lunch, they go for a walk together. Marcus notices McTeague is quiet and asks him what is wrong. McTeague tries to say he is okay, but Marcus persists, saying that McTeague looks like a man in love.
McTeague’s feelings remain strong even though he hasn’t seen Trina in a while. Once more, the novel reinforces the power of biological drives to influence human behavior. Additionally, the interaction between McTeague and Marcus reveals Marcus’s perceptiveness and McTeague’s reluctance to discuss his emotions.
Themes
Surprised by Marcus’s accuracy, McTeague admits that he is in love with Trina, but he feels bad because he knows that Marcus is also interested in her. Marcus thinks about what this means for his relationships with McTeague and Trina. On the one hand, Marcus already knows Trina’s family, and they think of him as Trina’s man. However, Marcus can tell by the way McTeague is acting that McTeague loves Trina more than he does. Marcus tells McTeague that he will take a step back and allow McTeague to pursue Trina instead. McTeague is grateful and once again feels like he has a chance to get Trina to marry him.
McTeague’s admission to Marcus demonstrates his internal conflict over his feelings for Trina. Meanwhile, Marcus’s reaction to McTeague’s confession reveals his willingness to prioritize their friendship over his own romantic interests. In a world that is often selfish and indifferent, Marcus’s selflessness stands out and suggests that there is a genuine connection between the two men. Given the book’s focus on how base human instinct reigns supreme, though, it’s possible that Marcus’s selflessness—which goes against the selfish human instinct for survival—might come back to bite him later on.
Themes
After talking, McTeague and Marcus drink together at a bar. Marcus shows McTeague a party trick where he puts an entire billiard ball in his mouth and smiles. McTeague laughs and then tries the trick himself. McTeague manages to get the ball in his mouth and smile, but then he immediately starts to choke. A crowd gathers as McTeague struggles for breath, though he eventually manages to get the ball out of his mouth.
Competition between men is another motif in the novel. What often starts out as a friendly competition quickly turns violent and, in this case, almost deadly. Norris suggests that these competitions are displays of dominance disguised as friendly bouts, again reinforcing the idea that animalistic instincts dictate human behavior.
Themes
Later, McTeague and Marcus resume their conversation about Trina outside of the veterinary practice where Marcus works. Marcus advises McTeague to call on Trina soon. When he sees McTeague is flustered, Marcus promises to take him to meet the Sieppes (Trina’s family). McTeague appreciates the gesture and thanks Marcus for his kindness. As the two walk away from the veterinary kennel, two dogs begin aggressively fighting.
At the start of the novel, McTeague and Marcus’s relationship stands out because it seems to transcend the animalistic impulses that govern many of the novel’s characters. However, the fighting dogs in the kennel suggest that this peace will not last.
Themes
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