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Chapter 5
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
Over the next few days, Trina wonders whether she loves McTeague. For the past year, she assumed she would marry Marcus, who she is fond of. At first, she had no interest in McTeague whatsoever. However, the “sheer brute force” of McTeague has awakened her sexuality, though she does not know whether this is a good or bad thing. Eventually, she decides that she does not love McTeague and plans to tell him so the next time she sees him. However, when Trina does see him again, McTeague immediately takes her in his arms and forces another kiss on her before she can say anything. Following the kiss, Trina exclaims that she does love McTeague after all.
Trina tries to intellectualize her attachment to McTeague, but it is her base instincts that ultimately drive her to act. McTeague is domineering and does not give her a chance to talk, and he essentially uses brute force to conceive her that they should get married. Again, these are Norris’s essentialist views about gender and male dominance coming into play. Here, the novel suggests, neither McTeague nor Trina has control over their situation; McTeague lets his primal urges drive him, and Trina’s primal urges dictate that she submit to McTeague.
Themes
Shortly after 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 also suggests bringing Mrs. Sieppe because he thinks it would be proper. When McTeague asks Mrs. Sieppe if she would like to come, she happily agrees, though she asks if August, one of her sons, can come as well. McTeague promises to buy them all tickets and also offers to host everyone following the show.
Marcus’s congratulatory response and suggestion to take Trina to the theater demonstrate that he is not jealous of McTeague in the slightest. Meanwhile, the inclusion of Mrs. Sieppe and August reinforces the importance of family approval and the social rituals associated with courtship—something McTeague, who is more in touch with his animal instincts and less tied to social norms, is not used to dealing with and is not sure how to handle.
Themes
Next, McTeague goes to the theater box office to buy tickets. There, he quickly becomes flustered because he wants to make sure he will be seated in the right area, but he is not sure where the right area is. The box office clerk eventually gets fed up with McTeague and prints him a set of tickets that the clerk feels will be good enough. Feeling condescended to, McTeague shakes his fist at the clerk and threatens him. The clerk simply ignores McTeague, so McTeague leaves without further incident.
McTeague’s insecurity and aggression at the theater box office demonstrates his discomfort with social etiquette. This scene underscores the theme of class tension and the struggle for social mobility, as McTeague feels out of place and condescended to by the more socially adept clerk. McTeague’s reaction reveals his underlying frustration with his own limitations.
Themes
On the night of the show, everyone gets dressed up for the occasion and meets outside the theater. When McTeague and his party go inside, they find they are among the first to arrive. They watch as the stage is set up and examine their show programs An orchestra plays as the rest of the attendees file into the theater. August, who is quite young, impatiently asks Mrs. Sieppe when the show is going to begin. Mrs. Sieppe does her best to settle him down and keep him quiet.
The variety show represents the allure of urban entertainment and the desire for upward mobility. The preparations for the event highlight the importance of cultural experiences and the aspiration to be part of the urban elite. However, August’s immediate impatience foreshadows that the Sieppes might have a long night ahead of them.
Themes
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Eventually, the show starts. It is a variety show which features magicians, acrobats, comedic sketches, and more. Everyone enjoys it. Halfway through the show there is an intermission, during which McTeague buys everyone drinks. Mrs. Sieppe gives August a lemonade because he has grown restless, and she wants to calm him down for the rest of the show. However, August does not calm down. Throughout the second half, he kicks his feet and asks to go home. Mrs. Sieppe ignores him and enjoys the second half of the show.
This scene emphasizes the book’s view that how social convention clashes with biological instinct, sometimes to harmful effect. Mrs. Sieppe’s willingness to ignore August’s restlessness suggests that she wants to enjoy the show more than she cares about tending to her son.
Themes
After the show 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 their way back to McTeague’s place. When McTeague and the Sieppes arrive at McTeague’s apartment building, they see the lights are still on. Inside, a small group has gathered around Maria, and everyone is talking excitedly. When Trina walks through the door, Maria yells to let her know that she won $5,000 in the lottery.
The incident with August wetting himself shows that the Sieppes have a long way to go before they can fit in with the upper classes. Mrs. Sieppe placed her enjoyment of the show over her son’s needs and ultimately pays the price. Meanwhile, Trina’s lottery win suggests that her life is about to change. $5,000 in the late 1800s is the equivalent of around $190,000 in today’s economy, which is more money than Trina and her family have ever seen.
Themes
