36 pages 1 hour read

Neil Simon

The Odd Couple

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1965

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Act 3

Act Summaries & Analyses

Act 3 Summary

The conflict between the housemates reaches a boiling point. Oscar is still upset that Felix wouldn’t join him with the Pigeon sisters and refuses to talk to him. While Felix tries to clean the apartment, Oscar routinely sabotages him. When Oscar sprays Felix’s aerosol cleaner near his spaghetti, he finally confronts him, asking him how much longer he’s going to go without talking to him. Oscar simply tells Felix to stay out of his way and reminds him that he owns the apartment. Felix bristles at this and counters, saying that he pays half the rent and is the reason the two are able to stay on top of bills.

Oscar explodes at Felix, telling him he’s impossible to live with:

I’ll tell you exactly what it is. It’s the cooking, cleaning, and crying…It’s the talking in your sleep, it’s the moose calls that open your ears at two o’clock in the morning…I can’t take it anymore, Felix. I’m crackin’ up. Everything you do irritates me. And when you’re not here, the things I know you're gonna do when you come in irritate me… (77)

He finally shares what occurred at the Pigeon household, saying that they were only interested in hearing about Felix.

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