Summary

In Pages 231 - 283, the narrator stops at Ivan's to "play with his transistor radio" (231). He gets annoyed hearing her play with it. They argue. The narrator cannot say what she wants to Ivan.

At home, she lies on the floor, breathing heavily. Finally, Malina returns.

The narrator and Malina have a debate about happiness.

Though she is frustrated with him, the narrator needs her "double existence": her "Ivanlife" and her "Malinafield" (237).

When they hear that someone named Haderer died, Malina asks if the narrator will attend the funeral. She has no interest in funerals or deaths. Feeling bothered by Malina, the narrator lies down.

Malina comments on her messy space, and her written pages. She tells him about something she has written, which is about him. He does not understand how she could have known about the event (241). He crumples the pages, then...