Bambi, Part XVIII summary

What happens

1. After Mr. Davis advises him to study magazine markets, Jarvis researches them, but repeated rejections and a failed reviewing job deepen his poverty.
2. Jarvis takes over Old Hicks’s cab while Hicks suffers from rheumatism, earning money for them both.
3. Mr. Frohman rejects Success but urges Jarvis to build another play around its married male character and master his craft.
4. Cab work broadens Jarvis’s attention to people, strengthens friendships, and makes him appreciate Bambi’s insight.
5. Mr. Ames cannot produce The Vision but discusses drama with Jarvis and asks to read his other plays.
6. At dinner, Strong buys Songs of the Street for two hundred dollars, making a trip home possible for Jarvis.

In this part

What to notice

Frohman challenges Jarvis’s belief that teaching the public is enough. He makes skilled dramatic writing a condition of reaching an audience.

Quick check