Reading the Chunksters discussion

This novel is so interesting with the multiple plot lines - I keep wondering when they will all converge! It really is quite the soap opera! There is so much drama drama with poor innocent Marie professing she would be willing to be chopped to pieces and run away with Felix, who doesn't give a hoot about her! Felix, for his part, signed a written agreement to not pursue Marie (in exchange for cash, obviously) but quickly reneged on the deal, unbeknownst to Mr. Melmotte - for now! Personally I can't wait for Felix's demise- he deserves it!

Meanwhile, Mrs. Hurtle continues her relentless pursuit of the insipid Paul, who finally at the very end of this section has the gumption to part ways with her for good - at least we think! She resorts to 'rolling around on the floor' about it (can you imagine?? Lol!) and finally pens a demure letter to him - but we will see if she goes berserk and shoots him or not! Do you think Mrs. Hurtle is impressive or crazy?

I am impressed with Ruby - though naively she harbors a fancy for Felix and goes out on the town with him, she left her rough grandfather and a potential marriage she was not inclined to pursue. Roger seeks to intervene to save Ruby from such a rogue.

I am less interested in the Mr. Montague as the shady dealer plot line. He engages in large transactions with ready cash and quickly shuts down any opposition - I'm just waiting for everything to blow up!

HI Dianne, Hope things go well with your Dad.
I also continue to like Ruby. I find it interesting how Trollope portrays violence against women in the novel. He seems to skim over the violence, and describes it in broad terms (ill use, dragged around the room by her hair) and then just touches upon the after effects, again in broad terms. It seems clear that women could expect to be abused by fathers and perhaps husbands, but it is unclear to me how much abuse was crossing the "line".

I wondered what a perambulator was - a baby carriage.

Dianne wrote: "This novel is so interesting with the multiple plot lines - I keep wondering when they will all converge! It really is quite the soap opera! There is so much drama drama with poor innocent Marie pr..."

It does seem like a soap opera. Lots of exaggeration, with the willingness to be cut to pieces, and rolling on the floor.

I find the female characters more interesting than the men. The men are calling the shots, but except for Felix, we don't see them doing the plotting and scheming so much. Just in financial matters. The women, with scant resources regardless of financial standing or social class, are using their wits to get what they want. I really did not expect a novel written at this time to have such fully formed female characters, really.

I did not like Ruby's grandfather dragging her by the hair, but I found it believable. I still don't care for Mrs. Hurtle, but she is a very strong woman, I'll give her that.

I was surprised Marie boarded the ship, to be honest. Even today, that would be a scary move!

Penney, thank you for bringing up the violence against women. You are absolutely right - Trollope just barely touches it. Maybe, that is why I found it so humorous when Paul was thinking Mrs. Hurtle might shoot him for breaking up with her. I did not like how Paul would act so wishy-washy. I'm leaving, but passionately hold her. It also makes me think how easily a woman's reputation is ruined with the ending of a marriage and no one bothers to get the woman's point of view. I also just remembered Lady Carlisle's ordeal with her husband. I bet they could be friends if introduced to one another.

Felix is simply a cad and he does not deserve a happy ending.

Penney wrote: "HI Dianne, Hope things go well with your Dad.
I also continue to like Ruby. I find it interesting how Trollope portrays violence against women in the novel. He seems to skim over the violence, and..."

Thank you so much Penney - we are still in a waiting game of doing tests. I saw that you just finished the book and I hope you keep posting as the rest of us go along! Thank you for raising the point about violence against women - agree that it seems only marginally notable which is alarming!

Hummingbirder wrote: "Dianne wrote: "This novel is so interesting with the multiple plot lines - I keep wondering when they will all converge! It really is quite the soap opera! There is so much drama drama with poor in..."

I cannot believe that Marie got on the ship! I can only think that she was so incredibly sheltered in life that she had no true conception of any risk or danger. She had never been exposed to it in her life thus far and perhaps it was a combination of believing that she would always be safe and longing for some different kind of experience. I would’ve like to see how the story turned out if she actually had gone on the ship alone!

Tammy Dayton wrote: "Penney, thank you for bringing up the violence against women. You are absolutely right - Trollope just barely touches it. Maybe, that is why I found it so humorous when Paul was thinking Mrs. Hurtl..."

Paul’s vacillation is ridiculous but at the same time Mrs. hurtle is a very powerful character! I suspect that even someone who was more resolute than Paul would have had difficulty setting in resisting Mrs. Hurtle. In fact if it had been someone else she probably would’ve been less measured and more inclined to have a crazy reaction.

Why do we call her Mrs. Hurtle in the story anyways instead of by her first name?