The Teacher Summary

One snowy day, George has nothing to do and goes to the pond. He has his skates with him, but instead of skating, he builds a fire by a log and sits down to think. George thinks of Kate Swift, his former schoolteacher who has tried to explain something to him several times. He doesn't understand her and thinks she is in love with him. He has mixed feelings about this. He goes home and has erotic thoughts about both his teacher and Helen White, whom he has long been half in love with.

Night is winding down in Winesburg. Hop Higgins, the night watchman, goes to sleep, leaving only three people in Winesburg awake. The Reverend waits for Kate to appear, and George is at the newspaper office pretending to write. Kate is at home, reading a book. She suddenly...