The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

Ebling is disappointed that there is no mention of his bomb in the newspapers. The World Fair receives a lot of coverage—especially the party thrown for Salvador Dalí.

George Deasey is taking Sam and Joe to the party for Dalí. The party is being held at the house of a wealthy and eccentric New Yorker named Longman Harkoo. Deasey and Harkoo met and became friends during their college years. As the three of them pull up to the house in a cab, Joe and Sam realize they are being taken to a party and feel nervous. Neither of them attends parties often. Joe used to, but since coming to New York, he has concentrated solely on his work. Sam tells Deasey it would be better if he stayed home and worked on the novel, Strange Frigate. Deasey takes some pleasure in making the two anxious. He tells them that all they need is a drink, and then warns them not to let Harkoo hug them.

The party is in full swing. George Deasey introduces Sam and Joe to Harkoo, who is a very pleasant and jolly man. Sam and Joe learn that Harkoo’s real name is Siegfried Saks. The name Saks rings a bell with the two cousins, but they can’t quite remember why. Harkoo takes them on a tour of the place, introducing Sam and Joe to many different people. Dalí is wearing a diving suit, a large copper helmet, and an oxygen hose attached to a pump that gives off a smell of gasoline. Harkoo has Sam and Joe take turns taking a picture with him. It is part of Harkoo’s art. He likes his picture to be taken and has thousands of them. Joe meets many artists whose works he admires.

The voice of a young woman carries across the room and Sam and Joe catch the end of a story the woman is telling a group of men standing around her. Her eyes meet Joe’s eyes. The woman is Rosa Luxemburg Saks.

Joe is amazed to see Rosa again after nearly a year. Harkoo takes Sam and Joe over to meet her. Rosa doesn’t quite remember Joe, though there is a hint of recognition in her voice. Joe has a strong desire to kiss her but remains suave, which impresses Sam. Harkoo leaves Joe and Rosa alone together and takes Sam to go get a drink.

Rosa and Joe flirt. They talk about Prague and Joe’s Jewishness. Joe informs Rosa that his dad has died. Rosa is very sorry for him. She is sympathetic to the plight of Jews in Europe. She tells him not to despair. Inwardly, Joe feels a deep sense of gratitude, but he acts offended. He is worried he has just ruined his chances with her. Just then, however, there is a series of metallic sounds and someone cries for help, saying that Dalí is drowning.

Dalí is lying in the middle of the ballroom smacking at the helmet. His wife is kneeling down beside him trying to loosen one of the wingnuts. In French, someone says he’s turning blue. No one can get the pump to restart. Harkoo tries to calm everyone and loosen the nuts, but he can’t either. Joe pulls out his pocketknife, kneels beside Dalí, and manages to turn the bolt and eventually remove the helmet. Dalí speaks to Joe in French, professing his gratitude. Sam pushes his way through the crowd and gives his cousin a hug. Deasey brings Joe a drink. Joe has the spotlight now, but he is mostly concerned with what Rosa thinks of him.

Rosa tells him she now remembers him. Joe admits he remembers her, too. Rosa wants to show Joe her paintings. For the first time since coming to America, Joe allows himself to be interested in a girl.

Just as Rosa begins leading Joe to her studio, Joe hears the voice of a man speaking in German. The rage boils within him, but he calms himself and goes with Rosa.

The narrator says in a footnote that it is best that Joe didn’t engage the German, because the man, Max Ernst, is an artist whose works have been condemned by the Nazis. Max is a committed anti-fascist and is, like Joe, an exile in America.

Rosa’s studio is a small room that doubles as her bedroom. The room bespeaks Rosa’s nature: “Her bedroom-studio was at once the canvas, journal, museum, and midden of her life. She did not ‘decorate’ it; she infused it” (247). Rosa shows Joe some of her work. Joe and Rosa have similar tastes in art. A moth hits Joe in the face. Rosa informs him that they have a problem with moths in the house and that no one can explain the insects’ collective origin. Rosa notices that Joe’s finger is dislocated and tells him to sit on the bed. She was almost a nurse once: She had wanted to volunteer to serve in the Spanish Civil War, but the war was over before she could get there. She puts Joe’s finger back in place. Rosa admits that she was actually relieved not to have to go to Spain; she is a coward, she says, but is always trying to do things she is afraid of. “Like bringing you up here to my room” (250), she offers as an example. Joe realizes this is a perfect opportunity to kiss her, but he doesn’t, and he feels that he is the coward.

Rosa changes the subject and tells Joe about how her great-grandfather, Moses Espinoza, was a murderer and a lepidopterist (someone who studies moths). She lets Joe look through her dream book, in which she uses collage techniques to narrate many of the dreams that she has. Joe tells Rosa about his work in comics; for the first time, he describes comics as an art form, feeling that it is. Rosa kisses Joe. Sam calls for Joe, interrupting. Joe apologizes and leaves.

While Joe is with Rosa, Sam discovers two men kissing. Sam has heard of gay men before but thought gay sexuality meant “blow jobs in dark alleyways or the foul practices of love-starved British sailors” (254). He had never considered that two men could kiss like two heterosexual lovers. The scene confuses him. Sam wants to leave but decides against it.

Back in Rosa’s room, Rosa asks Joe if Sam is gay. Joe is surprised by the question and wants to know why she’s asking. Rosa answers that Sam just has the “feel.” She thinks Joe should go look for Sam; Sam looked unhappy and she is worried about him. Joe wants to know if he can call her. Rosa gives Joe three numbers where he can reach her. Joe learns that Rosa works part-time for a man who is working on getting Jewish children out of Europe.

Joe meets with Rosa’s boss, Hermann Hoffman. Hoffman has one ship, $23,000, and half a million children to save. Hoffman gives Joe a history of the ship; when he bought the ship, it was called the Lioness. Hoffman has renamed it The Ark of Miriam.

Joe is amazed at Rosa’s transformation; in this setting, she is very professional and businesslike. Joe tries to get a word in with Hoffman, but the man is quite loquacious. Eventually, Rosa blurts out that Joe has money. A conversation about buying passage for Joe’s brother, Thomas, ensues. Rosa points out that the project is lacking in funds, and that Joe could pay for his brother entirely out-of-pocket and even sponsor two or three other children. Hoffmann likes the sound of this. He asks Joe what sort of work he’s in, and Joe tells him about the comic books. Hoffman asks Joe if he knows anything about magic. Joe tells him about studying under Kornblum. Hoffman says he once saw Kornblum perform. Hoffman attempts a magic trick, but it seems to fail, and he asks Joe if he can do any tricks. Joe performs a trick that impresses Hoffman. Hoffman wants to make a deal with Joe regarding the ship and Thomas, and he also wants Joe to help him out by performing magic at his son’s bar mitzvah. Joe is very grateful and becomes hopeful regarding Thomas.

Rosa goes to her desk to type up the documents for Thomas. Joe asks her to dinner. She continues working but tells him she would like that very much.