The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz

8 Keys to Understanding pages 161-176 of

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz

Summary Key

Chapter 7 - When Duddy comes home from his movie screening, he is greeted by his father and Uncle Benjy. They inform him that Lennie is gone. All of his belongings are gone and he has left a note saying he's quit medical school. Duddy decides to take charge of the situation and visit Lennie's friends to get some information about the situation. Later that night, Duddy finds himself having a hard time falling asleep as he reflects on old memories of Lennie.

Chapter 8 - Duddy goes to McGill to figure out what's going on with Lennie. He runs into Bernie Altman, who used to work with Duddy at the hotel. Bernie tells Duddy about Lennie's fight with Riva. Also that Lennie was hanging out with a new crowd consisting of jocks, Lennie's new love Sandra Calder, and even Duddy's rival Irwin Shubert. Duddy plans on having a chat with Sandra but Bernie informs him that she home sick. Duddy decides to visit the Calder residence anyway, but the butler asks him to leave because the doctor is paying a visit to Sandra. Later that night, Duddy and Bernie meet at a bar. Eventually a discussion of Lennie gets around the whole bar and someone blurts out that he is suicidal. Shortly after, Duddy and Bernie leave the bar and drive home as Duddy chain-smokes. When Duddy returns home he chooses not to tell his father about Lennie's fight with Riva or the suicidal comment. In addition, he learns from his father that Aunt Ida has left Uncle Benjy.

Idea Key

Both chapters' main focus is Lennie. As readers, we learn a lot about his personality and Duddy's thoughts about him as well as various background information of what is going on in his present life. "Lennie was nervy, it was true-sensitive-even as a kid the smallest things used to upset him." (Richler 165). Lennie always stuck up for Duddy but as he became older, things changed.

Action Key

Quotable Key

Quotation- "I can't understand it," Uncle Benjy said. "You'd think he would have got in touch with me whatever it was."

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