Breakfast at Tiffany's Section 13
Summary
The narrator notices the decreasing mention of Holly in the news and finds himself longing to be with her once again. He reads in the headlines of a newspaper about Sally Tomato's death and how Holly is believed to be in Rio. Holly's "abandoned possessions" are sold, and a man name Quaintance Smith moves into her old apartment. Mr. Quaintance entertains as many friends as Holly did, and Madame Spanella has no problem with him or his noisy friends. Madame Spanella evens comes to Mr. Quaintance's aid when he is bruised by one of his guest. Little is heard of from Holly, until the narrator receives a postcard in the spring. It appears she has met someone new and is looking for somewhere to live. Holly informs him that Brazil was too tough, but she has moved to Buenos Aires and she likes it. She explains how it is not Tiffany's but close. The new gentleman that she is interested in is a guy she calls $enor. He is married and has seven children. Holly believes that she is in love with him. The narrator is excited at the thought of hearing from Holly again. He wishes he had an address in which to write Holly to tell her, he read in the newspaper that the Trawlers are getting a divorce and they are moving out of the brownstone, and that he sold two of his stories. Most important, he wanted Holly to know that he found her cat.
Notes
Brazil - The largest country in Eastern South America that was founded by the Portuguese in the 1500.
Brownstone - Perfers to old brick apartment where Holly once lived.
Buenos Aires - The largest country in Argentina. Located in the eastern part of the country on the Rio de la Plata. Was founded by the Spanish in 1536. Buenos Aires became the capital of Argentina in 1862.
Countersue - Means one party to sue a second party who is already suing the first party.
Flanked -Means to be beside someone or something.
Gangland Victim - A person who is exploited by underground, orgainized crime.
Gossip-Column - A gossip column is a media feature about celebrities' private serects or rumors that has been spread about them.
Mille Tendresse - A term translated into English means, mille: thousand and tendresse: affection. Which close in the American speaking tongue to say lots of love.
Rio - Rio de Janeiro, a state and a city in Southeastern Brazil.
Sing Sing - A prison in New York.
Spanish Harlem - Area urbanized by the addition of brownstones and apartment buildings in the 1880's. Predominantly Hispanic, it is also referred to as East Harlem, found in New York City.
Commentary
The last section of the novella focuses on the narrator's last regrets concerning Holly. The gossip in the paper dies down and he goes through the months of winter hoping to hear from her. In the time that has passed since she left, a man named Quaintance Smith has moved into her old apartment. He receives far better treatment from Madame Spanella that Holly did. He hosts parties and has the occasional black eye, for which Spanella aids him with "filet mignon" (110).
The novella ends with the narrator's hope that Holly has finally found a home, a venture in which her cat has been successful. He regrets most that he cannot reach Holly to tell her about the cat. He expresses that whether it be an "African hut or whatever," he hopes Holly "arrived somewhere [she] belonged" (111).
Study Questions
1. What is the name of the new tenant in Holly's old apartment?
2. What happened to her belongings?
3. What is the one thing he wishes to tell Holly the most?
4. Who found Holly's cat?
5. How did Sally Tomato die?
6. What day did Sally Tomato die?
7. What does the narrator promise Holly?
8. Where did Sally Tomato die?
9. Where did Holly write from?
10. What does the narrator hope Holly will find?
11. What is the name of Holly's new friend?
12. How long did it take the narrator to find the cat?