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44 pages 1 hour read

Judy Blume

It's Not the End of the World

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1972

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Chapters 17-24Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 17 Summary

Ellie gets a job as a receptionist at an insurance company temporarily until she figures out what she wants to do permanently. Aunt Ruth and Uncle Dan come over and find Ellie in the basement refinishing an antique trunk. Aunt Ruth tries to talk Ellie out of going to work, but Ellie claims that she can handle it. Later, Karen asks Ellie why she didn’t just give in to Aunt Ruth like she normally does, and Ellie says that she wants to make her own decisions now. Karen is surprised that Ellie still doesn’t know what kind of job she wants. Karen lashes out, calling Ellie selfish for only thinking about herself and what she wants.

Aunt Ruth takes Karen to the dentist and then out for ice cream. Karen remembers that next week is her parents’ anniversary. Karen wonders if she can get her parents to remember that they love each other by wishing them a happy anniversary. Aunt Ruth reminisces on how it has only been the last six or seven years that Bill and Ellie stopped getting along. Karen is surprised that people can fight for that long.

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