Brenda adds some crucial context to the picture being painted by Reggie: John Beaver is really behind the drive to extort Tony for all he’s worth. Brenda, however, happily goes along with this plan, indicating how in thrall to Beaver she is. Tony’s sudden disillusion sets up his startling rejection of Brenda’s terms with an ironclad defense, his first moment of real self-assertion in the novel so far. Winnie’s unbearable presence that weekend ironically turns out to save Tony.