Chapters 7 & 8 Summary and Analysis

In Chapter 7, Georgina maintains a relationship with Wade, a male mental patient from another ward. She refers to Wade as her boyfriend. Wade is convinced that his father is a CIA operative who performs violent missions alongside E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy; ostensibly, they travel to Cuba and murder people. Wade is always angry and often becomes violent. He is frequently restrained by staff and sedated or placed in restraints. During one period, Wade is confined for weeks, and Georgina becomes despondent. Kaysen and Georgina determine to cook caramels to alleviate their boredom. Later, Kaysen mistakenly pours molten caramel over Georgina's hand. Kaysen screams as Georgina's hand burns, but Georgina seems nonplussed and does not react. Kaysen brings the episode full-circle by noting that later on Kaysen learned of G. Gordon Liddy's self-control trick of holding his hand...