Chapters 16 and 17 Summary

Chapter 16: Nels, grown-up now, interns at the City and County Hospital, and is working toward becoming a doctor. Mama is very proud, not because he will become wealthy but because he will be able to take away people's pain.

Nels also has found a girl to love, Miss Cora Martin. He introduces her to the family, and she strikes them as snobbish and air-headed, insisting on calling Nels "Nelson" even when corrected by the family. Mama feels it is only right for them to visit Cora's parents, even though Katrin tells her that sort of thing isn't done anymore.

They arrive at the Martins huge mansion and are ushered inside. Mrs. Martin greets them but can only chat for a moment; she has a mah-jong party in fifteen minutes. The family is not invited to have a seat but they instead...