Chapter 9 Summary

Art is critical of Phlox for majoring in French, since she can only end up being a low-earning French teacher. Art feels that the French Literature she will have to read will have an alienating effect on her attitude toward love, and that she will misread some of it, turning it into dark romance. Art goes to her apartment and gets to know her through her possessions. She finally appears from the bathroom, looking like the wife of a soldier, and they, presumably, make love.

Later, while Phlox cooks breakfast naked, Art reaches his father at the hotel and they plan dinner. Phlox uses conversational tools, such as well-learned quotes, and is quite bright, but may be self-conscious. She admits to having been through phases of being a reborn Christian, being a punk, a biker's girl, a seamstress, prep school student and housewife...