Chapter 12 Summary

The honeymoon trip abroad is postponed, owing to the in-laws' desire to have their daughter close by for the first few months of the marriage. While looking at a globe with his wife, considering where to travel, Luzhin is confounded by the haphazard way that the continents are arranged. Realizing that Luzhin has already traveled extensively, his wife is hesitant to offer the city-names lest she incite thoughts of chess. Luzhin amuses himself by teaching himself to type and listening to records.

The wife's sole focus in life is to keep Luzhin distracted from thoughts of chess. She attempts to preoccupy his mind with art, theater, and a zoo. While watching a motion picture, Luzhin cannot help but comment on the implausibility of a chess game depicted in the film. The wife is relieved that Luzhin does not seem overly agitated by the...