Surfacing Chapter Summary & Analysis - Chapter 18 Summary

Chapter 18 Summary

The narrator gets back to the cabin and sits on the old child's swing. She remembers the man who had gotten her pregnant. He gave her a gold ring, so that they could keep up appearances of a married couple when they went to motels. She had been just another girl with whom he was having an affair, but he was her first. She worshiped him. He told her that he loved her.

David comes to her. He is looking for Anna, but the narrator has not seen her. David tells her that Joe is gone, too, and that the two of them are probably having sex in the woods. He tries to pressure her into having sex with him. She refuses, and David gets angry, calling her a name.

At dinner, Anna tells David that she had a nice, long talk with Joe and then asks David what he...
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