Classics for Beginners discussion

Fall tri monthly read Middlemarch is here,
enjoy...

Hi Joseph. I went ahead and broke the discussion down into Chapters. Thanks for starting this thread. People can also read it this way if they want.

Of course. Sorry for the curt reply. I was on my phone and I really have issues typing on it. It's totally fine if you want to use this discussion thread instead of the other one.

Thanks, Joseph! And to you, RitaSkeeter for your suggestion!

I've started the audiobook... taking my time.

I am finishing up another book. I plan on starting it within a week. I am getting a late start.

I started my re-read last night. It must be a decade, probably even longer, since I last read it. I'm barely into it so far, but looking forward to seeing what my thoughts are now compared to last time round.

I read this book for the first time this last summer. I didn't have a group to read with so I was looking forward to seeing what others had to say about it.

The preface - about Saint Teresa of Avila - was quite interesting. I guess Dorothea is a similar character.

I've finished book 1. I'm enjoying it a lot more than I did the first time round, however many years ago that was. I still don't much care for Dorothea though.

I really want to read this book! I am hoping I will have time for it in December before the Tri-Monthly Read period is over. Hopefully I will be back to comment then!

How is everyone else going with their read? I'm part way through book 4 now. I'm very much enjoying the book - much more than I have previously. Some of the characters infuriate me though - at the moment Fred Vincy is the subject of my greatest ire.
I think Celia and Sir James are the characters I most 'like', though they aren't doing anything particularly interesting at the moment.

I have the book, but have two books to finish before starting. I actually forgot about this group read until last week, so am getting a real late start. I bought a Kindle version, so don't have a sense of the book's size, but a number of comments tell me it's a challenge.

I am really enjoying this book. For me, it's hard to pick it up and read on schedule with so many other books I'm presently also reading. The flow from reading a classic changes when I switch to modern literature. I'm wondering if others find this also true? I have a list of past group reads I desire to catch up on, using the outlines you have provided. I'm a little worried about War and Peace to be truthful. If I'm having a hard time distracted by the contemporary, will I ever finish it? That remains to be seen.

I just finished Middlemarch yesterday and went back to work beaming at my students -- I think they thought I had lost my mind. The book reminded me that the greatest novels are always about character, and I really fell in love with this cast.

Perrin Lindelauf wrote: "I just finished Middlemarch yesterday and went back to work beaming at my students -- I think they thought I had lost my mind. The book reminded me that the greatest novels are always about charact..."

It really is a book of character studies. I think Ekiot laid her characters so bare. We see all their faults as well as their strengths.p, and because of that they feel like real people.

I just started Book 3 last night, which seems to be about Fred's money troubles, and I agree with RitaSkeeter that he is an infuriating character, though I am hoping that he will redeem himself in the end. While I like Dorothea okay, I don't really feel connected with her - or any of the other characters, really - and I wonder if it has to do with the narration. I think the use of a first person narrator who seems to be an objective observer, who also doesn't seem invested in the characters, might be the reason for this. Is anyone else experiencing this? And do any of you know the literary term for this narrative device?

B'burg Linda wrote: "I just started Book 3 last night, which seems to be about Fred's money troubles, and I agree with RitaSkeeter that he is an infuriating character, though I am hoping that he will redeem himself in ..."

I've always called it an omniscient narrator, it's been a long time since I was at school though so not sure if that is correct.

I agree completely about feeling disconnected from the characters. Eliot paints her characters very realistically, warts and all, and I wondered whether that may have had something to do with it. I wondered whether seeing all a person's flaws and weaknesses may have affected the way I viewed those characters.

I don't think Eliot painted the strengths of the characters as well. Mary was a 'good' character, but boring. Celia had a (view spoiler)[ happy marriage (hide spoiler)] but she was smug, etc.

@RitaSkeeter I've always called it an omniscient narrator...

That sounds logical. The only term I could come up with was 'deus ex machina' and I was pretty sure that the narrator wasn't going to suddenly jump in and fix things to her satisfaction. (For some reason, I feel that the narrator is a woman.)

I am now in Book 7 and am really enjoying this novel. I am anxious to find out what happens to everyone, (view spoiler)[especially Dorothea and Will, and Mary,Fred, and Mr. Farebrother. Mr. Farebrother was so amazing when he interrupted Fred at the Green Dragon and attempted to help Fred resist the temptation of gambling by reminding him that marrying Mary would be jeopardized by his resuming his bad habit. It seems to me that by this action, Mr. Farebrother is acting more in line with the role of a traditional pastor, and I wonder if he is coming to find himself better suited for the position than he thought. (hide spoiler)]

I also feel really bad for Lydgate (view spoiler)[ and wish he could leave Rosamond. Her refusal to curb her spending is just unbelievable frustrating. I have liked Lydgate as a character and hope that he finds a way to save himself with integrity. (hide spoiler)]

B'burg Linda wrote: "@RitaSkeeter I've always called it an omniscient narrator...

That sounds logical. The only term I could come up with was 'deus ex machina' and I was pretty sure that the narrator wasn't going t..."

Yes, I felt very badly for Lydgate too. I also felt (view spoiler)[ that that storyline was still very relevant today. How often do people use credit and get into financial difficulties? (hide spoiler)].

I'm glad you both have gotten over your initial lack of attraction to the characters. I ended up loving nearly all of them, even Rosamond.

I still don't really like them. But that's not to say they are not realistic or very well written.

@Perrin I'm glad you both have gotten over your initial lack of attraction to the characters. I ended up loving nearly all of them, even Rosamond.

Well, I won't go so far as to say I like Rosamond very much, but I did warm up to many of the other characters.

I finished the book yesterday, and feel like Eliot wrapped things up nicely. I wasn't so sure that the ending would be (view spoiler)[ so happy. (hide spoiler)] One character who surprised me, somewhat admirably, was (view spoiler)[ Mrs. Bulstrode. I thought it was touching that she forgave her husband, though I suppose if she were to know that he was responsible for Raffles death, it might change things. (hide spoiler)]

I think the character I was most impressed with by the end was (view spoiler)[ Fred. I loathed him at the start, but what a turn around his character had! (hide spoiler)].

I thought the ending for (view spoiler)[ Lydgate (hide spoiler)] was very sad.

I have just begun reading Middlemarch and found this group. I have have just completed chapter 7. For the next couple days there will be a reading marathon for me to catch up.

@Edgarf: I'm glad someone else is dropping in for some discussion. It's a great book.

Even though I finished reading a few days ago, I'm still mulling everything over. Like RitaSkeeter, I think that the book still speaks to us today. (view spoiler)[Of relevance are the money troubles Fred, Lydgate, Farebrother, and even Will experience, but also the need for ostentatious spending in order to impress others and appear to be of a higher social level than one actually is. In the end, it seemed to me that only Lydgate permanently suffered, and I think it was because of Rosamond. Mary and Dorothea were levelheaded about money, and Farebrother did not have a woman in his life to influence him.

Farebrother's role as a gambler seems curious. He gambled, successfully it seemed, because his salary was too low to provide for a modest living, though he may have also been supporting his naturalism interest with the money, too. When his salary was increased, the gambling stopped. What seems strange to me is that there wasn't more said about the morality of a clerical person gambling, though it was clear that he wasn't addicted to gambling as Fred had the potential to be. Instead, the moral issues around money seemed to be addressed by the circumstances of Fred, Lydgate, and Will, and each of them responded to money troubles in his own unique way. And, I agree with RitaSkeeter, Fred's developing maturity and success were impressive, though I personally think they were due to the guidance of Mary's father, Mr. Farebrother, and Mary. Lydgate, Will, and Farebrother lacked guidance of a mentor, so to speak. (hide spoiler)]

All in all, an interesting novel. I imagine that I will go back and read it again sometime; I feel like there was a lot that I missed the first time around.

B'burg Linda wrote: "@Edgarf: I'm glad someone else is dropping in for some discussion. It's a great book.

Even though I finished reading a few days ago, I'm still mulling everything over. Like RitaSkeeter, I think..."
I just completed book I, entitled in my edition Miss Brooke. Since tomorrow is thanksgiving and I do not have to work I think I can get in a couple more hours reading after this post. What I love about these old 19th century novels is the slow place and the fact a storyline usually does not even reveal itself until you are a couple hundred pages in the text. I do not know where this book is going, but it looks like Book I was about introducing the characters. There is already one character I dislike already and do not wish him well.

It appears that I have a lot of catching up to do. I have a confession, I initially found this book to be tedious and I put it aside believing I would probably not pick it up again. I recently decided to give it another try and I am enjoying it. I love the cast of characters, I feel like I already know some of them. I felt book one was too tiresome. The story did not pick up for me until book two.

Laurie wrote: "It appears that I have a lot of catching up to do. I have a confession, I initially found this book to be tedious and I put it aside believing I would probably not pick it up again. I recently de..."
I have one chapter left in book II and will read that chapter before I go to sleep tonight. I am finding Mr Casaubon to be a selfish heartless old coot. Mr Bulstrode, I believe may end up making a Dickens villain look wanting.

I've just finished Book I and I have to say it is a very intriguing read. I'm sure it'll pick up as this is just the introductory phase. I really like Rosamond Vincy and her family.

I finished reading Middlemarch today. I am wishing it was longer and I was still enjoying this novel. I would like to read it again sometime but sadly I will never be able to read it again for the first time. The last 300 pages were so good I went through them in two days.

@Edgarf - Your comment about wishing the book longer made me smile.

@ B'burg Linda - glad the comment did make you smile. Whenever talking to a friend about a book and they tell me, "but its so long though", I ask them what their favorite television show is and if they want the show to end. I see books that way, especially 19th century novels which for the most part originally came out in installments either in magazines or by subscription. They were like the cable television series of their day. Does anyone really start watching an HBO series thinking, "I hope it is not too long"?

Edgarf wrote: "@ B'burg Linda - glad the comment did make you smile. Whenever talking to a friend about a book and they tell me, "but its so long though", I ask them what their favorite television show is and if..."

I like your comment Edgarf - very true.

Edgarf wrote: "I finished reading Middlemarch today. I am wishing it was longer and I was still enjoying this novel. I would like to read it again sometime but sadly I will never be able to read it again for the ..."

I agree Edgarf, the book picked up at the end. I really enjoyed it.