Giovanni's Room Part Two, Chapter 3 Summary & Analysis

PART TWO, Chapter 3

Summary

After leaving Sue’s apartment, David walks along the river and is struck by thoughts of suicide. He begins to wonder about the lives of other people and the life that he wants for himself, a normative heterosexual life with a wife and children. Once David arrives at Giovanni’s apartment, David finds Giovanni in a manic, distressed state. Giovanni pours David a glass of cognac and tells him that he was fired by Guillaume earlier that evening. Guillaume had made a scene at the bar and accused Giovanni of being a thief and a shameless opportunist, before throwing some money from the cash register at Giovanni and kicking him out of the bar. At one point, Giovanni is so enraged by the occurrence that he breaks a glass. Giovanni tells David that if it were not for David, he would probably be dead.

David consoles Giovanni, suggesting that they get out of the apartment and have a drink. David further tries to calm Giovanni by telling him that everything will be okay financially between them, and that he will even write to his father to send him money so that they can survive until Giovanni is able to find another job. In that instant, David remembers feeling as if his life and his ability to guide his own life is spiraling away from him.

Back in the present day, David meanders around the house, thinking of Giovanni’s execution in the morning, and confesses that he truly did love Giovanni. David remembers a party at Jacques’ he attended one night where he met a man who spent half of his life in prison. David begins to imagine Giovanni in prison, the size of his cell, whether his hair has been cut, if they have shaved him, and other quotidian aspects of life. David wishes he was not alone tonight and hopes that someone is with Giovanni as well.

David recalls the days after Giovanni lost his job and his overall attitude. Giovanni put all his energy into fixing the room, a goal David saw as fruitless. During this time, Giovanni begins to grow more and more dependent on David, to the point where David feels overburdened by his presence. One morning, David and Giovanni have a heated argument about their finances, which leads David to suggest leaving Paris altogether, perhaps even visiting Spain. After David makes snide comments about Giovanni’s room, Giovanni senses David’s unhappiness with their predicament and asks David if he has heard from Hella. David says he has not heard from her in a while, but that she will be returning to Paris any day now. As tensions between them calm down and they embrace each other, David points out that they are only delaying the inevitable and deluding themselves into thinking that their relationship can last.

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