The French Lieutenant's Woman Chapter Summary & Analysis - Chapters 20, 21, and 22 Summary

Chapters 20, 21, and 22 Summary

Charles feels that meeting with Sarah one more time may help her to break out of her melancholy, so he finds her once again in the woods. Sarah leads Charles to an even more isolated location, so that they may speak in complete privacy. Once seated, Sarah is hesitant to talk but soon divulges the story of her encounter with the French lieutenant, named Varguennes.

Lieutenant Varguennes had been severely injured, when his ship wrecked. He was brought to the home of Captain Talbot, where Sarah was working as governess. Sarah was attracted to Varguennes at first for his supreme bravery in suffering the pain from his wounds without complaint. As the lieutenant's recovery continued, Sarah read to him, as she was the only person in the house to speak French.

Eventually, Lieutenant Varguennes made advances toward Sarah, and she chose to believe his endearments as an entrye into a...
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