Part 4, Chapter 24 Summary

Emma is an educated young miss from a rural town who moves to New York to experience an intellectual life. Emma's experience with the social set of intellectuals has not prepared her for their awareness of all things symbolic to their purpose and self-interest. Emma is rejected as a rube, so she secludes herself. After months of self-confinement to her rooms, Emma chooses to venture out. Emma chooses a Sunday and selects the Metropolitan Museum of Art. When she spies a member of the intellectual set, Albert Eisenberg, she attempts to quickly return the way she came. Emma does not believe her confinement has lasted long enough, because she is still afraid of rejection. Emma wanders through the Museum, avoiding all of the areas that Alfred might seek out. All the while, she castigates herself for her dismal failure in her...