McTeague

by

Frank Norris

Trina Sieppe Character Analysis

Trina Sieppe is a young woman of Swiss German descent. She begins the novel as a modest and somewhat shy character. She loves to picnic and enjoys the arts. She becomes the love interest and later the wife of McTeague. However, Trina’s character changes significantly after she wins a large sum of money in a lottery. Initially sweet and innocent, she becomes increasingly obsessed with her wealth and with saving money to the point that McTeague accuses her of miserliness. Her relationship with McTeague deteriorates as her obsession with money grows, leading to conflicts and estrangement. Trina forces herself and McTeague to live in subpar living conditions because she refuses to spend her wealth (and McTeague cannot hold down a job). She lies to McTeague about how much money she has saved, driving a wedge between them. Trina’s desire to accumulate wealth eventually becomes too much for McTeague, who kills her in a fit of rage.

Trina Sieppe Quotes in McTeague

The McTeague quotes below are all either spoken by Trina Sieppe or refer to Trina Sieppe. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Greed and Self-Destruction Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2 Quotes

Trina was McTeague’s first experience. With her the feminine element suddenly entered his little world. It was not only her that he saw and felt, it was the woman, the whole sex, an entire new humanity, strange and alluring, that he seemed to have discovered. How had he ignored it so long? It was dazzling, delicious, charming beyond all words. His narrow point of view was at once enlarged and confused, and all at once he saw that there was something else in life besides concertinas and steam beer. Everything had to be made over again. His whole rude idea of life had to be changed. The male virile desire in him tardily awakened, aroused itself, strong and brutal. It was resistless, untrained, a thing not to be held in leash an instant.

Related Characters: McTeague, Trina Sieppe
Page Number: 21
Explanation and Analysis:

He turned to his work, as if seeking a refuge in it. But as he drew near to her again, the charm of her innocence and helplessness came over him afresh. It was a final protest against his resolution. Suddenly he leaned over and kissed her, grossly, full on the mouth. The thing was done before he knew it. Terrified at his weakness at the very moment he believed himself strong, he threw himself once more into his work with desperate energy. By the time he was fastening the sheet of rubber upon the tooth, he had himself once more in hand. He was disturbed, still trembling, still vibrating with the throes of the crisis, but he was the master; the animal was downed, was cowed for this time, at least.

Related Characters: McTeague, Trina Sieppe
Page Number: 24-25
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4 Quotes

Marcus was thinking hard. He could see very clearly that McTeague loved Trina more than he did; that in some strange way this huge, brutal fellow was capable of a greater passion than himself, who was twice as clever. Suddenly Marcus jumped impetuously to a resolution.

“Well, say, Mac,” he cried, striking the table with his fist, “go ahead. I guess you—you want her pretty bad. I’ll pull out; yes, I will. I’ll give her up to you, old man.”

Related Characters: McTeague, Trina Sieppe, Marcus Schouler
Page Number: 44
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5 Quotes

He went farther into the closet, touching the clothes gingerly, stroking them softly with his huge leathern palms. As he stirred them a delicate perfume disengaged itself from the folds. Ah, that exquisite feminine odor! It was not only her hair now, it was Trina herself—her mouth, her hands, her neck; the indescribably sweet, fleshly aroma that was a part of her, pure and clean, and redolent of youth and freshness. All at once, seized with an unreasoned impulse, McTeague opened his huge arms and gathered the little garments close to him, plunging his face deep amongst them, savoring their delicious odor with long breaths of luxury and supreme content.

Related Characters: McTeague, Trina Sieppe
Page Number: 62
Explanation and Analysis:

“Ah, come on,” urged McTeague. He could think of nothing else to say, repeating the same phrase over and over again to all her refusals.

“Ah, come on! Ah, come on!”

Suddenly he took her in his enormous arms, crushing down her struggle with his immense strength. Then Trina gave up, all in an instant, turning her head to his. They kissed each other, grossly, full in the mouth.

Related Characters: McTeague, Trina Sieppe
Page Number: 66
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6 Quotes

When McTeague had all at once caught her in his huge arms, something had leaped to life in her—something that had hitherto lain dormant, something strong and overpowering. It frightened her now as she thought of it, this second self that had wakened within her, and that shouted and clamored for recognition. And yet, was it to be feared? Was it something to be ashamed of? Was it not, after all, natural, clean, spontaneous? Trina knew that she was a pure girl; knew that this sudden commotion within her carried with it no suggestion of vice.

Related Characters: McTeague, Trina Sieppe
Page Number: 70
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 7 Quotes

“You fool, you fool, Marcus Schouler! If you’d kept Trina you’d have had that money. You might have had it yourself. You’ve thrown away your chance in life—to give up the girl, yes—but this," he stamped his foot with rage—"to throw five thousand dollars out of the window—to stuff it into the pockets of someone else, when it might have been yours, when you might have had Trina AND the money—and all for what? Because we were pals. Oh, ‘pals’ is all right—but five thousand dollars—to have played it right into his hands—God DAMN the luck!”

Related Characters: Marcus Schouler (speaker), McTeague, Trina Sieppe
Page Number: 101-102
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 8 Quotes

The dentist circled about that golden wonder, gasping with delight and stupefaction, touching it gingerly with his hands as if it were something sacred. At every moment his thought returned to Trina. No, never was there such a little woman as his—the very thing he wanted—how had she remembered? And the money, where had that come from? No one knew better than he how expensive were these signs; not another dentist on Polk Street could afford one. Where, then, had Trina found the money? It came out of her five thousand dollars, no doubt.

Related Characters: McTeague, Trina Sieppe, Marcus Schouler
Related Symbols: The Gilded Tooth
Page Number: 116
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9 Quotes

The dentist crossed the outside room, parted the chenille portieres, and came in. He came toward her quickly, making as if to take her in his arms. His eyes were alight.

“No, no,” cried Trina, shrinking from him. Suddenly seized with the fear of him—the intuitive feminine fear of the male—her whole being quailed before him. She was terrified at his huge, square-cut head; his powerful, salient jaw; his huge, red hands; his enormous, resistless strength.

Related Characters: Trina Sieppe (speaker), McTeague
Page Number: 141
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 10 Quotes

McTeague, on his part, never asked himself now-a-days whether he loved Trina the wife as much as he had loved Trina the young girl. There had been a time when to kiss Trina, to take her in his arms, had thrilled him from head to heel with a happiness that was beyond words; even the smell of her wonderful odorous hair had sent a sensation of faintness all through him. That time was long past now. Those sudden outbursts of affection on the part of his little woman, outbursts that only increased in vehemence the longer they lived together, puzzled rather than pleased him. He had come to submit to them good-naturedly, answering her passionate inquiries with a “Sure, sure, Trina, sure I love you. What—what’s the matter with you?”

Related Characters: McTeague (speaker), Trina Sieppe
Page Number: 149
Explanation and Analysis:

“Now, Mac, you know I don’t want you should talk like that. That money’s never, never to be touched.”

Related Characters: Trina Sieppe (speaker), McTeague
Page Number: 159
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 14 Quotes

Only one thing remained. On the wall between the windows, in its oval glass frame, preserved by some unknown and fearful process, a melancholy relic of a vanished happiness, unsold, neglected, and forgotten, a thing that nobody wanted, hung Trina’s wedding bouquet.

Related Characters: McTeague, Trina Sieppe
Page Number: 223
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 15 Quotes

“I wonder,” she said to herself, “I wonder where he got the money to buy his whiskey.” She searched the pockets of his coat, which he had flung into a corner of the room, and even came up to him as he lay upon the bed and went through the pockets of his vest and trousers. She found nothing.

“I wonder,” she murmured, “I wonder if he’s got any money he don’t tell me about. I’ll have to look out for that.”

Related Characters: Trina Sieppe (speaker), McTeague, Zerkow
Page Number: 237-238
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 16 Quotes

Trina was awakened by her husband pinching her arm.

“Oh, Mac,” she cried, jumping up in bed with a little scream, “how you hurt! Oh, that hurt me dreadfully.”

“Give me a little money,” answered the dentist, grinning, and pinching her again.”

Related Characters: McTeague (speaker), Trina Sieppe
Page Number: 241
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 18 Quotes

And the tooth, the gigantic golden molar of French gilt, enormous and ungainly, sprawled its branching prongs in one corner of the room, by the footboard of the bed. The McTeague’s had come to use it as a sort of substitute for a table. After breakfast and supper Trina piled the plates and greasy dishes upon it to have them out of the way.

Related Characters: McTeague, Trina Sieppe, Zerkow, Maria Macapa
Related Symbols: The Gilded Tooth
Page Number: 266
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 19 Quotes

Trina lay unconscious, just as she had fallen under the last of McTeague’s blows, her body twitching with an occasional hiccough that stirred the pool of blood in which she lay face downward. Towards morning she died with a rapid series of hiccoughs that sounded like a piece of clockwork running down.

The thing had been done in the cloakroom where the kindergarten children hung their hats and coats. There was no other entrance except by going through the main schoolroom. McTeague going out had shut the door of the cloakroom, but had left the street door open; so when the children arrived in the morning, they entered as usual.

Related Characters: McTeague, Trina Sieppe
Page Number: 296-297
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire McTeague LitChart as a printable PDF.
McTeague PDF

Trina Sieppe Character Timeline in McTeague

The timeline below shows where the character Trina Sieppe appears in McTeague. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
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Marcus stops in to see McTeague and tells him about Trina, Marcus’s cousin who recently lost one of her front teeth. Marcus speaks about Trina a... (full context)
Chapter 2
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While McTeague is tending to Miss Baker, Marcus walks in with Trina. While McTeague is working, Marcus talks to Trina about Maria Macapa, who works as the... (full context)
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Gender Stereotypes  Theme Icon
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McTeague finishes up with Miss Baker. Marcus introduces McTeague to Trina and then leaves the two alone. At first, McTeague does not like Trina, as he... (full context)
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One day, while McTeague is working on Trina, he notices she is in a great deal of pain, which makes him nervous. He... (full context)
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Eventually, McTeague finishes working on Trina, and she wakes up. Once she is awake, McTeague asks Trina to marry him. Trina,... (full context)
Chapter 3
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Eventually, Maria makes her way to McTeague. It has been a full week since Trina rejected him, but McTeague is not over it. At this point, he is fully committed... (full context)
Chapter 4
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McTeague finishes his work on Trina’s teeth, and then they do not see each other again for some time. McTeague is... (full context)
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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... (full context)
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Later, McTeague and Marcus resume their conversation about Trina outside of the veterinary practice where Marcus works. Marcus advises McTeague to call on Trina... (full context)
Chapter 5
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...they run into the entire family at a nearby train stop. Marcus introduces McTeague to Trina’s mother, Mrs. Sieppe, who is happy to meet him. Meanwhile, Mr. Sieppe, a stern, militaristic... (full context)
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Trina and McTeague walk and talk together as the Sieppes family makes their way to a... (full context)
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...long day. Mrs. Sieppe invites McTeague to stay over and McTeague sleeps by himself in Trina’s room. McTeague feels strange sleeping where Trina normally stays, but he finds the room charming... (full context)
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McTeague begins visiting Trina regularly and soon the Sieppes realize that he is her new suitor. One day, McTeague... (full context)
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Then, McTeague grabs Trina, “crushing down her struggle with his immense strength” until she gives in and allows him... (full context)
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Trina, still crying, returns home to Mrs. Sieppe, who is setting up a mouse trap in... (full context)
Chapter 6
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Over the next few days, Trina wonders whether she loves McTeague. For the past year, she assumed she would marry Marcus,... (full context)
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...this declaration of love, McTeague sees Marcus and brags that he has managed to capture Trina’s affection, after all. Marcus congratulates him and suggests he take Trina to the theater. Marcus... (full context)
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...is over and McTeague’s party is preparing to depart, August wets himself and cries loudly. Trina diverts McTeague’s attention away from the situation and then everyone leaves the theater to make... (full context)
Chapter 7
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Trina is in a state of disbelief. She does not think it is possible she actually... (full context)
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...tickets, others pay off bills, and a few invest the money. The lottery agent informs Trina that she will make $25 per week in interest alone. Trina is overwhelmed but also... (full context)
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...entire party insists that McTeague give a speech, as it is assumed that McTeague and Trina will be married soon. McTeague is shy and does not want to speak, but Marcus... (full context)
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...Marcus is not speaking at all because he is angry with himself for not marrying Trina. However, McTeague is too elated to notice. Once McTeague goes to bed and Marcus is... (full context)
Chapter 8
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Over the next several weeks, McTeague and Trina spend lots of time together. Trina also spends a lot of time shopping for her... (full context)
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McTeague finds that having $5,000 is less exciting than it seemed at first. Trina has invested the money in her uncle’s business and only collects $25 per month. In... (full context)
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As McTeague and Trina become more familiar with each other and begin to fall in love, Marcus grows distant.... (full context)
Greed and Self-Destruction Theme Icon
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...schemed the entire thing. While ranting, Marcus asks McTeague if he will get any of Trina’s money. McTeague tells Marcus that he will not because the money does not belong to... (full context)
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...for him in the communal parlor. There, he finds a package addressed to him from Trina. He opens it and inside finds the giant golden tooth he has always longed for. (full context)
Chapter 9
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McTeague and Trina are set to be married on the first of June. Leading up to the wedding,... (full context)
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Marcus and McTeague still are not talking. When McTeague tells Trina about the incident where Marcus threw a knife at him, Trina is surprised and angry... (full context)
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...somewhat superficial, after all the preparation leading up to it. After the ceremony, Marcus approaches Trina and congratulates her on becoming Mrs. McTeague, feeling good about himself for doing so. Later,... (full context)
Greed and Self-Destruction Theme Icon
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...gets some champagne up his nose, for which Marcus mocks him. McTeague says nothing, but Trina defends her new husband. After some time, the wedding guests begin to clear out. The... (full context)
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When everyone else is gone, Trina says goodbye to her family, asking Mrs. Sieppe to write to her often. Mrs. Sieppe... (full context)
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Later, when Trina sees McTeague in their bedroom, she feels afraid of him. When he comes near her,... (full context)
Chapter 10
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Summer passes into winter as Trina sits in the bay window of her new apartment and listens to the sounds of... (full context)
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However, Trina did not feel this way immediately. For some time after the wedding, she often doubted... (full context)
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For his part, McTeague does what he can to keep Trina satisfied. He starts dressing nicer and spends his Sundays in the park with Trina instead... (full context)
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Meanwhile, McTeague is happy to have Trina and loves to hold her close to him, but he does not put any any... (full context)
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Because he is married to Trina, McTeague starts to take interest in the same sorts of things that she does. He... (full context)
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One day, Trina and McTeague attend the annual Mechanic’s Fair together. The fair is crowded and features music... (full context)
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After three years of marriage, McTeague and Trina have their first serious fight. It starts because McTeague sees a house for sale and... (full context)
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The following day, McTeague decides to buy the house himself without telling Trina. The owner haggles with McTeague and claims to give him a bargain, though McTeague is... (full context)
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This issue begins a yelling match between the married couple, which ends with McTeague calling Trina a “miser.” After the fight, they remain angry at each other for a week and... (full context)
Chapter 11
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One morning, Trina sees Miss Baker coming back from the market and strikes up a conversation with her.... (full context)
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While Trina and Miss Baker are talking, two of Marcus’s dogs round the corner and see each... (full context)
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Meanwhile, although Marcus still lives in the building above McTeague and Trina, the couple rarely sees him Occasionally, Marcus will stop and ask Trina if Mr. Sieppe... (full context)
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On a nice day, McTeague asks Trina if they can host a picnic in the park, something they have not done for... (full context)
Chapter 12
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The same night, Trina tells McTeague that she thinks Marcus is packing up and going away. Indeed, the following... (full context)
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Eventually, McTeague gets Trina to agree to sending $25. However, Trina procrastinates and does not send the money. A... (full context)
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A few nights later, Trina and McTeague are together in their sitting room. Trina asks McTeague if he still loves... (full context)
Chapter 13
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...McTeague reads the letter but cannot make any sense of it, so he waits for Trina to get home. When Trina arrives, she reads the letter and immediately goes pale. Then,... (full context)
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Trina rereads the letter and then decides that perhaps McTeague will be okay. Even if he... (full context)
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...a city official delivers McTeague another notice telling him he must quit practicing dentistry immediately. Trina forces McTeague to quit. At first, McTeague is okay with the idea of quitting because... (full context)
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McTeague asks Trina what he should do for a living now that he is no longer a dentist.... (full context)
Chapter 14
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McTeague and Trina go looking for a new, more affordable apartment. However, McTeague does not want to live... (full context)
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Ultimately, Trina decides to rent the apartment regardless of what McTeague thinks. She knows that, in addition... (full context)
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...every item in his office, particularly his concertina and his caged canary. No matter what Trina says, he will not put them up for sale. While Trina and McTeague are clearing... (full context)
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...sale, the McTeagues sell almost everything. The only thing remaining, which no one wanted, is Trina’s wedding bouquet. (full context)
Chapter 15
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...Initially, their love might help them endure these difficulties, but over time, McTeague’s affection for Trina fades, and he views her simply as his wife. He misses the comforts Trina once... (full context)
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The McTeagues make $130 from everything they sold, but Trina lies to McTeague, claiming they received only $70, and hides the extra money. Their daily... (full context)
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One day, Trina pauses her work as McTeague comes home early and reveals he was fired. Upset about... (full context)
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...a cold. McTeague reluctantly drinks, which only increases the level of anger he feels toward Trina. McTeague and Mr. Heise also run into Mr. Ryer, who encourages them to drink even... (full context)
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Meanwhile, at home, Trina converses with Maria about her troubles with Zerkow. When McTeague returns home, he is furious... (full context)
Chapter 16
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Over the course of the following month, Trina becomes increasingly anxious as McTeague remains unemployed and unable to find work. She convinces him... (full context)
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On Thanksgiving Day, McTeague drinks heavily and returns home to demand money from Trina, pinching and hurting her until she complies. Although McTeague rarely drinks to excess, the alcohol... (full context)
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During this time, Trina forms a close friendship with Maria, as they bond over their husbands’ abuses. They compare... (full context)
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One November morning, after Trina finishes a large Christmas order of Noah’s Ark carvings, she decides to pay Miss Baker... (full context)
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Trina, horrified, is unable to speak. Eventually, she manages to flag down a local to help... (full context)
Chapter 18
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McTeague wakes up to Trina screaming because she is having a nightmare about Maria. These nightmares have become common since... (full context)
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The following day, McTeague and Trina move into Zerkow’s old place, bringing the few possessions they have left along with them.... (full context)
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...Other Dentist gives him five dollars for the tooth, one of which McTeague gives to Trina to buy food. Trina claims she used the entire dollar to buy the food she... (full context)
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Trina returns home, only to find it empty. She fears McTeague might be dead. However, then,... (full context)
Chapter 19
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Trina learns to use a scrubbing brush despite her injured hand and becomes a caretaker in... (full context)
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After her hospital discharge, Trina finds herself alone with her $5,000, relying on the interest for support. She considers joining... (full context)
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Unable to bear it any longer, Trina requests $400 from Uncle Oelbermann, despite knowing it will reduce her interest income. He reluctantly... (full context)
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Trina decides to withdraw an additional $100. This marks the beginning of her a series of... (full context)
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One night, three months after moving to the kindergarten, Trina hears a tap on her window. She finds McTeague outside, pleading for food and shelter.... (full context)
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Despite being miserly, Trina regrets her decision almost immediately after McTeague leaves. She stands by the window, feeling sorry... (full context)
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...room at the store, and drinks heavily, which makes him more vicious and hateful toward Trina. One day, McTeague discovers his old concertina at the music store and realizes Trina sold... (full context)
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On a night close to Christmas, McTeague, drunk and furious, breaks into the kindergarten where Trina works. He demands the money, but she refuses. In a fit of rage, he beats... (full context)
Chapter 20
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...and leave. Two days later, the police arrive from San Francisco to arrest him for Trina’s murder, but he is nowhere to be found. (full context)