Chapter 14 Summary

During the afternoon, a heavy downpour drenches Boston, and Julian believes that the family will not be able to dine out because of the inclement weather and the impassability of the streets. He is surprised, however, that when the time comes, the women in the family appear without boots or umbrellas. Once outside, he discovers that the streets have all been covered and enclosed by portable awnings. Edith is amazed that it hasn't always been this way. Dr. Leete points out that the difference between the two time periods is that in Julian's time, it was individual interests that mattered, so thousands of individual umbrellas would be raised over thousands of individual heads. In the year 2000, the collective society is the most important concern, so one cover is raised over the collective head.

The family continues on to the dining hall. Like the...