The Kiss of the Spider Woman Chapter Summary & Analysis | Chapter 16

Chapter 16 Summary

Valentin is in the prison infirmary after he has been tortured with third degree burns in his groin. The attendant gives him morphine, although he's not supposed to, and he begs Valentin not to tell anyone or he'll get in trouble. Once the morphine kicks in, the rest is a stream of consciousness from Valentin's thoughts.

He imagines his old love, Marta, is visiting him. She encourages him to tell her what he knows. He talks about a tunnel and light. Then he says no one is going to help him escape. He feels like he is on a beach with the waves crashing on the shore. He sees a flower on the beach, but the waves wash it out to sea, and he dives in, but a native girl is there swimming too fast for him to tell her not to be afraid. He imagines having sex with this...
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