Chapters 11, 12 Summary and Analysis

Chapter eleven begins with a brief description of the birth of the author's half sister Jessica, of his wonder and joy at her presence, and of his mother's transformation from emotional breast-feeder to more practical bottle-feeder. Shortly after Jessica's birth, the author writes, his mother took her to Denmark for an extended visit with her family, leaving the author alone in the apartment with Jean.

Shortly after Dagmar left, the author writes, Jean allowed a thin, nervous young woman to move in on what was understood to be a temporary basis. The woman, Nell Smith, is revealed to be a suicidal, manipulative, lying writer/actress/neurotic, whose relationship with Jean, according to the author, may or may not have been sexual. Even though Jean initially enjoys the chattiness of their relationship, the author writes, eventually Nell's highly-strung, hermit-like self-absorption becomes wearing...