The Goldfinch

Theo wakes up at Hobie’s house and feels very disoriented and under the weather. He has breakfast with Hobie and Pippa and reports that his grandparents are not fit to take him to live with them. Hobie says Theo is welcome to stay there. For the next few days, Theo spends a lot of time in bed recovering.

He interacts with Pippa, and it is all feels more awkward than their previous encounters. She soon leaves to go back to her boarding school in Switzerland, “a school for loonies” (387). Her head injury still affects her, thus the choice of school.

Theo speaks on the phone with Mr. Bracegirdle, who reveals that Theo could have withdrawn the money from the fund, but Mr. Bracegirdle was suspicious that his father might have had a hand in the request. Hobie accompanies Theo to Mr. Bracegirdle’s office, and they agree that Hobie will be Theo’s temporary custodian. Mr. Bracegirdle strongly encourages Theo to got to boarding school next semester, but Theo wants to stay with Hobie. He begins studying intensely for a pre-college program to remain in the city. 

As time goes on, Theo begins obsessing over the painting and worrying about what he should do with it.