58 pages • 1 hour read
Peter HedgesWhat's Eating Gilbert Grape
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1991A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Part 2Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Part 2, Chapter 11 Summary
Gilbert takes Arnie to the carnival, where he rides the same white horse on the carousel over and over again. The person running the ride asks Gilbert to take Arnie off the horse so other riders can have a turn, but Gilbert tells him Arnie fell off a horse, which caused a brain injury, and this horse is the only one he can ride now. The guy is so touched that he allows Arnie to continue riding for free. Gilbert convinces the man to keep an eye on Arnie so he can go ride the Ferris wheel. Gilbert speaks briefly to Melanie as he approaches the ride, and he is again reminded of his missed appointment.
On the Ferris wheel, Gilbert thinks about sexual things and tries not to focus on the way that the ride's operator cleans up vomit. He sees someone on a bike and is convinced it is Becky, and this makes him anxious to get off. He curses the operator under his breath when he won’t let him off.
Gilbert retrieves Arnie and is on his way out when Tucker taunts him from the dunk tanks. Gilbert buys 15 balls and fails to knock Tucker off with the first 13.
