Out of This Furnace: Part 4, Chapter 13 Summary & Analysis

Dobie is visiting Anna, where he discusses politics with a visitor from Uniontown, a coal union organizer named Steve. Steve tells Dobie that the way to beat big business interests is to hit them in the pocketbooks. “You've got dealers in this town, haven't you? Sure they're Republicans. But most of their customers are Democrats and if they start forgetting it you remind them,” Steve states. By actively campaigning against candidates who favored business over workers, union organizers can shift the political playing field more in labor’s favor.

Steve tells Dobie about working to organize the coalfields. Their union representatives were all businessmen and lawyers and had no people who were actual coal miners. “We got together with the Mine Workers and put up a whole opposition slate,” he says, “then we went to work in every coal patch in the county, places them God-damn' committeemen never even heard of and wouldn't go if they did because they might get their shoes muddy.” They encouraged coal miners not to vote for the committeemen’s representative because they were not coal miners and hated unions.” For their efforts, Steve’s men won representation in the miners’ union. Dobie tells him that strategy would not work in Braddock. Steve replies, “if you're making a living in this country you're in politics whether you think so or not.”

After the discussion, Julie, Dobie, and Kracha are driven back to the train station to catch a ride home. As they drive along, the glow of the zinc furnaces illuminates the streets of Webster, their smoke enveloping the houses of the men, women, and children who live in the mills’ shadows. As they board the train, Dobie sneaks a look at Julie’s leg as she boards. When they arrive home, Kracha immediately bids them goodnight and heads upstairs to sleep.

Dobie asks about food, and Julie forbids him from eating the ham because she is saving it for his lunch. He asks if he can make tea and Julie says it is much better than him coming to bed smelling of beer. As Dobie munches on cold pork chops, he grabs Julie and holds her in his arms. They engage in some romantic talk before finishing their tea and heading upstairs to turn in for the night. In the bedroom, Dobie announces his intention to sleep with Julie, and she slowly undresses. The make love and eventually fall asleep.

Julie wakes Dobie in the middle of the night. The couple can hear the sound of a “dull thump” somewhere inside or outside of the house. She at first suspects Peg-Leg Cassidy, but it is too late at night and the sound is too slow. They soon realize that the sound is coming from inside the house. Dobie grabs Julie’s hand mirror for protection, then walks slowly until he arrives at Kracha’s door. He pushes the door open and sees his grandfather lying on the floor, his bedclothes partly pulled over him.

Dobie stares as Kracha “lifted himself on one arm, straining as though he had a whole world on his back, and then he dropped heavily, his elbow thumping against the floor.” He appears to have suffered another stroke. Julie and Dobie lift Kracha up off the floor and call the doctor. Julie prepares tea with lemon and whiskey, which Kracha tries to drink but cannot swallow. Later that day, as Dobie sends out telegrams to relatives in Munhall, New York, and Donora, Kracha whispers “my children, my children…” before shutting his eyes. He dies at 4:45 in the afternoon. Dobie stares at his grandfather, as he has never witnessed anyone die before. Dobie tells Peg-Leg that his friend has passed.