- The Pontelliers are home in New Orleans.
- Their house is very nice. We learn that Mr. Pontellier is very fond of all his possessions.
- One night the couple sits down at their lovely table together for dinner.
- Mr. Pontellier notices that Edna is wearing a "house dress" instead of her more formal clothing.
- It is Tuesday, the day visitors come calling, so Mr. Pontellier wants an explanation.
- Edna explains that she didn’t feel like receiving callers, so she went out instead.
- Mr. Pontellier is horrified and insists that they can’t afford to flout convention like that because it will hurt his business concerns.
- Edna refuses to take his objections seriously.
- After complaining that the food isn’t cooked well, Mr. Pontellier, obviously upset, goes off to get dinner at his club.
- Edna finishes her dinner alone, then goes up to her room and stares out the window at the garden.
- She feels totally depressed. After a while, she flings her wedding ring onto the floor (soft carpet) and stamps on it.
- No luck. The ring seems indestructible (see anything symbolic about that?). Even angrier now, Edna grabs a glass vase and flings it onto the hearth where it smashes into pieces.
- The maid comes running upstairs, worried, and sweeps up the glass, then finds Edna’s ring under the chair and hands it to her.
- Edna dejectedly holds out her hand and slips the ring back on her finger.