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63 pages 2 hours read

Jonathan Franzen

Crossroads

Jonathan FranzenFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2021

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Part 1, Sections 10-12Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1: “Advent”

Part 1, Section 10 Summary

Becky goes to First Reformed for the Crossroads concert. Upon arriving, she sees two of her friends debating whether they should smoke marijuana before the concert begins. Becky agrees that they should, and the three of them move to the parking lot. When someone offers Becky a joint, she decides to try it for the first time. When Tanner’s band arrives, Laura and her friend Sally Perkins smell the marijuana and join the group. Sally pointedly mentions to Laura that she saw Becky in Tanner’s van earlier that day, and Laura snidely implies that she already knew Becky was chasing Tanner.

Becky, feeling ashamed and paranoid because of the drug, goes inside. She feels sick and is not at all enjoying her first marijuana experience. However, she finally finds her way into the sanctuary and prays for God’s help and forgiveness. Then, Becky suddenly has the realization that she could ask for forgiveness for her sins in general, not just the marijuana, and try to commit her life to God. A warm glowing feeling comes over her, pressing her to follow this instinct, and she feels as if God’s presence is in the room with her. She decides to give up her cynicism toward religion and try to live as a sincere Christian from this point forward.

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