Chapters 7-9 Summary

In Chapter 7 the Crash ruins William, reducing his empire to the poolroom, where he begins rebuilding. He lets Augie go as an economy measure, but hires him back—for less money—after Augie takes part in a robbery planned by Joe Gorman in the poolroom. He lectures him hypocritically and convinces him not to be determined by his environment. The Depression is hard on all of Augie's friends. William's evicting tenants unable to pay rent gets him picketed by Communists and attempts to get around zoning laws costs him his last big property. Still, he refrains Dingbat from violence. His savings lost in the bank run and his work hours sharply cut back, Simon begins learning how to dress and behave for success. To celebrate Augie's graduation, William takes him to a whorehouse for his first sexual experience.

In...