Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Intimate Apparel, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Intimacy and Friendship
Race, Class, and Exploitation
Gender and Expectations
The American Dream
Summary
Analysis
Mrs. Van Buren sits in her boudoir with a drink, looking unusually cheerful. Esther is distracted. Mrs. Van Buren says that her husband has gone to Europe, brushes off Esther's condolences, and says that it's a relief: she won't have to see him for months. She says that while he's gone she's going to take a trip to see friends and offers to bring Esther along to sew for all of them. Esther declines the offer and drapes the lace she just purchased over the bedpost, saying it'd be perfect for the rose chemise Mrs. Van Buren ordered. Mrs. Van Buren points out that she ordered the chemise weeks ago and says out of character for Esther to take so long. Esther says she's been busy.
Mrs. Van Buren's offer to take Esther along to sew for her friends will be extremely important in a few minutes. Combined with Mrs. Van Buren's apparent glee at being without her husband for a few months, this suggests that Mrs. Van Buren is getting far more out of her relationship with Esther than she was with her husband, though the relationship is still one with a major power imbalance.
Themes
Mrs. Van Buren asks how George is. Esther says that he's fine, but there isn't much work to be had and he's prideful. She says that he's also not enjoying New York. Mrs. Van Buren assures Esther that he'll come around and says that it must be wonderful to be in love. Esther answers noncommittally as Mrs. Van Buren looks at the lace and tosses it aside. Esther is offended. Mrs. Van Buren asks if things are alright and says that Esther can't look so sad. Esther asks if they can settle up; Mrs. Van Buren hasn't paid in two months. With a smile, Mrs. Van Buren agrees.
Not having paid Esther in so long suggests that Mrs. Van Buren may be trying to take advantage of Esther in more ways than just emotionally. Her lack of interest in the lace mirrors the lack of interest that George has in Esther's creations, which certainly makes this even more painful for Esther—especially since for her, the lace represents her relationship with Mr. Marks.
Themes
Mrs. Van Buren sighs and says that she misses writing the letters to George and feels purposeless now. Esther snaps that she doesn't want to talk about the letters, surprising Mrs. Van Buren. Esther apologizes, sits to fold the lace, and starts to cry. She admits that she couldn't read the work letter that George offered her and says that she lies to him every day. Mrs. Van Buren takes Esther's hand and says they all do what they have to do.
Mrs. Van Buren suggests that lying in a marriage is normal, while Esther shows that she doesn't want that version of normalcy—instead, she wants emotional intimacy, openness, and trust, things that she doesn't have with George, not least because she can't read.
Themes
Esther asks if Mrs. Van Buren loves her husband. Mrs. Van Buren says that the question is too romantic for a married woman. Esther says that her love "belongs someplace else," but won't explain what she means by this. Mrs. Van Buren pulls Esther in and kisses her on the lips. Shocked, Esther pulls away. Mrs. Van Buren apologizes and says that she just wanted Esther to know what it feels like to be treated lovingly. Esther spits that Mrs. Van Buren doesn't love her, and Mrs. Van Buren says that they can move on and just be friends. Esther says they're not friends: she's never come in through the front door. Mrs. Van Buren says that Esther is the only one who's been in her boudoir for months, and she's the only person with whom Mrs. Van Buren can feel happy.
Esther presumably is referring to Mr. Marks when she talks about her love needing to be elsewhere, which suggests that she now sees that her marriage with George is never going to give her the emotional fulfillment she gets from her relationship with Mr. Marks. Moving to kiss Esther shows Mrs. Van Buren trying to take advantage of Esther and couching it in an attempt to make Esther feel better. Because Mrs. Van Buren has so much power over Esther, the kiss could never be one between equals: Esther will always have to defer to her employer.
Themes
Get the entire Intimate Apparel LitChart as a printable PDF.
Esther refuses to be friends, and Mrs. Van Buren screams that Esther is a coward. She immediately apologizes and throws a wad of cash on the bed. Esther takes it and says that she's not the coward. In Mayme's boudoir, George enters and sits behind her at the piano after putting money on top of it. He kisses her and touches her breasts. Esther sits alone in her bedroom.
If Mrs. Van Buren weren't so worried about what society at large thought, she could be friends with Esther. As it is, the fact that she's ashamed to be seen with Esther and ashamed of writing the letters to George means that she's not treating Esther like an equal, making genuine friendship impossible.
Themes
