The Adventures of Augie March

On the day of Simon’s wedding ceremony, Mimi teases Augie, suggesting that his wedding clothes mean that he will soon be married as well. Augie collects his mother for the ceremony, thinking about the promises of wealth made to him by Simon if he marries Lucy Magnus, who is richer than Charlotte. Simon takes a long time to prepare himself, and Charlotte accuses Augie of delaying his brother. Simon asks Augie to hide their mother’s cane because he considers it unaesthetic.

Augie surveys the guests, including the Einhorns, Five Properties, and Cissy. He feels Lucy watching him during the ceremony “in her unambiguously declarative way” (243). At the dinner, Five Properties complains about his seating position. He believes Simon is insulting him, though Cissy dismisses her husband’s complaints. The couple leaves, but Augie lies to Simon about their whereabouts to bring an end to the petty back and forth.

After the wedding, Augie begins to date Lucy. As with the Renlings, however, he feels under her family’s influence. He does not think they like him. Simon becomes more forthright and violent, pushing Augie toward Lucy and beating up drunken, disrespectful customers at his workplace. He has to call a police officer named Nuzzo, with whom he is friendly, to avoid prosecution. A “lushed-up dealer named Guzynski” spends several nights in the police lockup (246), and his improved behavior afterward makes Simon believe his violence is justified. He becomes more insistent that Augie marry Lucy, and the brothers grow apart.

Feeling troubled, Augie begins talking in his sleep, which Mimi overhears. He also wrecks Simon’s car while running errands. That evening, Augie stays in his room, and Mimi visits, telling Augie that she is pregnant with Hooker Frazer’s baby. She is uncertain about whether she will marry him. While drinking coffee with Augie, she discusses “a new method of abortion” (253). Augie is concerned about the health implications of this experimental and possibly illegal approach, but Mimi insists that she does not want to have a child.

Augie takes her to the doctor. She criticizes the doctor for his unprofessional attitude. Rather than pay the full $100 for an actual abortion, Mimi pays only $15 for the experimental shot, which does nothing but leave her in a great deal of pain. Back in their apartment building, Augie asks their “melancholy and brilliant” (259) neighbor Kayo Obermark to keep an eye on Mimi. By the following day, Mimi has a new plan to solicit an abortion. A few days later, however, Augie is called to the hospital as her “bright schemes” have failed.

Augie steals more books to pay for Mimi’s abortion. He is caught, but the store detective is his old friend, Jimmy Klein. Jimmy is now in an unhappy marriage and has a child of his own. He offers to lend Augie money for Mimi’s procedure. The abortion is scheduled for the same evening when Augie is set to see Lucy. He mentions that he will be late, and she is annoyed with him, reminding him of the importance of her family’s New Year’s Eve party the following night.

Augie takes Mimi to the doctor. While taking her inside, Lucy’s cousin, Kelly Weintraub, spots him. Augie knows that his reputation with the Magnus family is ruined, but he tells Mimi not to worry. After she receives the abortion, Augie takes her home. She is not well but does not want to return to the hospital. Instead, she drinks a “good-sized slug” of whiskey.

The next day, Augie worriedly goes to work while Mimi continues to suffer. Augie and Padilla decide to take Mimi to the hospital, but Simon interrupts them as the Magnus family has just heard from Kelly Weintraub. Simon is furious, but Augie insists on taking Mimi to the hospital, even though he is meant to attend the Magnus family’s party.

The hospital workers refuse to admit Mimi, so Augie becomes increasingly desperate. Augie and Padilla deal with doctors, nurses, and police officers, all of whom believe that Mimi has received an illegal abortion. Padilla tells Augie to go to Lucy. When Augie meets Lucy, however, she ends their relationship. He returns to the hospital, where Mimi has received blood from Padilla and is now resting in the maternity ward. Augie stays with her through the night. He leaves the next day and bursts a tire near the Colbin home. He is welcomed inside, where Anna Colbin tries to marry him to her daughter, Friedl.

Mimi repays her debt to Augie and begins dating Einhorn’s son, Arthur. Augie spends more of his day reading until he finds a job through the New Deal Works Progress Administration. He is “checking on rooms and plumbing back-of-the-yards” but dislikes the smell (286). Mimi finds him a job working with Grammick, a union organizer, as Augie can supposedly “speak the workers’ language” (287). Augie signs up workers for the union.

He visits Einhorn and discusses the political meaning of unions, and Einhorn is critical of the labor movement. Augie sees Arthur in Einhorn’s office with a child from his “second wife.” Einhorn quizzes Augie about Mimi, assuming that she has a past relationship with Augie, which he denies. Einhorn then asks Augie to find Arthur a job in the union.

Augie meets Sophie Geratis, a maid who works at one of the luxury hotels where Augie is trying to sign the staff up for his union. Though the staff at her hotel is eager to strike, Augie talks them through the complex procedure. When Augie tries to explain the situation in a one-on-one meeting with Sophie, she kisses him. Sophie is engaged but goes back to Augie’s apartment with him.

In the hallway, Mimi teases Augie about his encounter and reveals that another “young lady” has been to visit him. Augie talks to Mimi about Arthur and Einhorn. She is angry and accuses Einhorn of touching her inappropriately. She intends to keep her relationship with Arthur despite his many failings.

Later, Augie is in bed with Sophie. He is interrupted by a knock on the door and is surprised to find Thea Fenchel outside. She had a detective locate him. Sophie makes her excuses and leaves, believing that Augie would rather be with Thea than continue their “fling.” When Augie tries to contact Thea, however, she will not return his calls. Augie must visit various union members while he tries to arrange a meeting with Thea. He warns a group of workers that the strike they are planning is not legal. Augie is beaten up but saved by Sophie and her fellow friendly hotel workers. Augie runs away and finds a taxi to take him to Thea, his “real objective of days” (309). 

Augie arrives on Thea’s doorstep and rings the bell to her apartment. She answers and they embrace, and then she notices his injuries. Augie explains how he was attacked during a union scuffle. For a few days, they are together without really talking about their situation. During this time, Augie falls in love with Thea and he is “very happy.” He falls in love with her lifestyle as well. Eventually, she explains that she is technically married to a wealthy older man but plans to obtain a divorce in Mexico.

Thea tells Augie that he should come with her to Mexico, and he accepts. He lets Grammick know about his plans, and then Thea purchases him a new outfit that better suits her tastes. Augie is not certain about the details of their trip, and Thea asks him questions about his commitment and Sophie, saying “some harsh and jealous things” in the process (317). She mentions her plan “to hunt with an eagle trained in falconry” (319).

Augie bids farewell to his mother, learning that Simon is as angry and as rich as ever. As he says goodbye to his friends, few people have anything positive to say. They believe that going to Mexico with Thea is not a good idea. Augie shares these doubts with Thea, who explains that she has lost most of her money and her inheritance. She plans to make money by hunting with her eagle, as well as other moneymaking schemes involving films and articles about the bird. Augie is astonished by the size of the eagle. They travel from Chicago, stopping on the roadside to listen to insect sounds while lying beneath a tree.

Augie and Thea travel to Mexico. The lack of clarity regarding their plans and intentions causes “troubles,” as does the jealousy they feel toward one another’s past romantic partners. Augie is also afraid that Thea might become pregnant, and he notes her lack of self-esteem. Thea finds a roadside zoo where she can purchase an eagle. Augie is dubious about the owner, but Thea refuses to be afraid. The bird attacks Augie, but they take it anyway, traveling with the bird in the back seat. Augie notices that a shotgun is also placed behind the seat.

While traveling, they stop to train the eagle. Thea becomes annoyed that the eagle will not learn, while Augie becomes annoyed with Thea. He is forced to help train the 30-pound bird and must let it rest on his arm for long periods. They cover its head with a hood, and its presence interferes with their romance. When they reach Mexico, the locals’ shouts of “el águila” (the eagle) are misheard by Augie, so Thea decides to name the eagle Caligula. Eventually, the couple successfully trains Caligula. They continue their exhausting journey, and when they stop for a night, Thea wins an argument over whether they can take the eagle into the hotel room despite “his excrement and fowlish smell” (336). The journey and the training regime continue across Mexico. They stay at a cheap hotel in Mexico City, exploring the city at night and sleeping during the day. Augie begins to assume that Thea will marry him “when the divorce [comes] through” (342).