In talking about Savannah to Susan, Tom is also forced to evaluate himself. For Tom, this “surprise summer of freedom” (101) in New York becomes a chance to take stock of his past and its demons. One day, while waiting for Susan in her office, he meets her patient Monique, a distressed and statuesque woman. To Tom, it seems that all beautiful women, like Monique, his mother, and Savannah, are doomed to suffer.

The first six years of Tom and Savannah's childhood were idyllic, with Lila constantly by their side. Yet, even at that early stage, Tom can see his mother shrink when her husband gets home. The children know Henry beats Lila. Abused by her husband, Lila turns to her children for solace. Tom, in particular, cherishes being the man of his mother’s life. As a grown-up, he can see that the burden of being her mother’s responsible, stable son has taken a toll on him. Tom believes that he is bound to disappoint all women and follow his father’s example of misogyny and emotional violence.

In 1951, Henry is abruptly stationed to Korea. The family goes for a picnic before Henry’s departure. During the picnic, Tom’s tears set off Henry, and he begins calling him a “girl.