The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

I’m behind this week and will post later today. Thought I’d open the thread so the discussion may continue. 😀

So what is Uncle Ben doing? Is he a conspirator or a spy for the king? The conspirators appear to be using flashes of light to communicate, and gathering in places that others are afraid to enter. Do you think that weird sound that comes in the fog is a signal? Or a device to keep people away from them while they met? I don't know if Blackmore is like Radcliffe, meaning that strange, seemingly supernatural, things happen but end up having a completely rational explanation.

Lorna has acknowledged her love for John and his mother knows it, and about Tom and Annie. The Whichehalse boy also seems to like Annie and she doesn't seem to mind his company. There isn't a way forward for John and Lorna, and they are going to wait. She won't leave while her grandfather is alive. But when he dies, won't it be too late since she won't have his protection and the other Doones can just do what they want with her?

We left John sleeping in Doone Valley. Is anyone still having trouble understanding the author's descriptions? I had a hard time understanding what was going on here.

I looked up "thumb ring." I'm not sure exactly what it is, or why the Doones were trying to steal it (but maybe that's just their natural reflex), but noblemen used to wear thumb rings to protect their thumbs when using a bow and arrow, and to help their aim. Also, it was the wedding-ring finger for some people.

I felt like not much actually happened in this section, though Lorna declaring her love is a big deal emotionally. Everything else just seems to be building up. Lots of people creeping around in the dark and fog.

I did enjoy the description of the morning. I will skip my recap as Lori did a great job.

Political unrest is beginning in these chapters. As well as a mysterious something possibly involving Ben. What’s with the white capped man in the Wizard’s Slough? Ruth, although diminutive in size, shows some inner strength in her retort to john’s mother.


Only one additional question:

What part does superstition play in this society.

Oh, I forgot. I really enjoyed the harvest ceremony. And I like Ruth and thought Mrs. Ridd was unfair to her. I liked John a bit better for defending her.

It seems to me that the people would be ashamed to admit any superstitions, but they're still there. Much like today. There are legends of things happening in certain places, and people are naturally afraid to go there at night, which (I'm guessing) makes those places advantageous to conspirators.

(Thanks for encouraging me to keep reading!)

Isn’t it also surprising that Betty is in contact with the Doones? She seems very natural about it, as if she has had contact with them for a long time. (Or maybe only Gwenny.)

I am glad to hear that you also have difficulties in understanding Blackmore. Then it is not just because I am Danish. :)

Yes, I was surprised about Betty too. I had started to dislike her, but I liked her a bit more after that scene.

There are still several scenes where I can't understand what's going on (and after I re-read the last few paragraphs of Chapter 36, I realized I'd misunderstood something - I had thought Blackmore was saying that John slept in Glen Doone, which I thought was weird, but he went home).

I still have some trouble at times visualizing what Blackmore describes but I've gotten over it to continue on with this story. Some comments:
1) I too liked the harvest and celebrations as it really illuminated how they earn a living and how life was actually lived in the area;
2) I was surprised that John's mother and sister Annie were portrayed so poorly in their attitude toward Ruth;
3) I'm glad I had earlier read about Charles II's illegitimate son the Duke of Monmouth so I understand a bit of the motivations here;
4) This books seems so much longer than The Way We Live Now and I think it's because the Trollope flits between different characters and subplots while this story plot is more singular and linear;
5) Not sure what Uncle Ben is up too or if he's the white-capped man but I don't mind having mysteries. Still a lot of book to go.

It just occurred to me that not many Edwardian and Victorian novels seem to be written in the first person. At the moment, I can only think of about five that I've read: Moll Flanders, My Brilliant Career, and a few Bronte novels.

Of course, epistolary novels are also kind of first person from multiple characters, and we've read several of those.

Dickens used it well in David Copperfield and Great Expectations. But in general you are right. Eliot, Hardy, Gaskell didn't use it. Some used first person to relate a whole story of someone else, for instance Frankenstein. The frame story falls away during the book. I seem to remember that The Time Machine is at least partly in first person.

You have me thinking about first person Victorian novels. You mention the Brontes and my memory is that all 6 Brontes I've read were first person, including changing first person or epistolary ones. Also both Wilkie Collins I've read and Dickens' David Copperfield. I think almost all Dickens, Gaskell, Eliot, Hardy etc. are third person, though.
NOTE: typed this while Robin was posting hers.

Robin wrote: "Dickens used it well in David Copperfield and Great Expectations. But in general you are right. Eliot, Hardy, Gaskell didn't use it. Some used first person to relate a whole story of someone else, ..."

Oh right! I forgot about David Copperfield (I am born) and Great Expectations! And I just remembered Moby Dick and some of Melville's other books are in first person.

I forgot about the Brontes! - "Reader, I married him"
So it was an option. There were also nonfiction traveler's tales that could be repurposed for Robinson Crusoe or Gulliver's Travels.

It seems to me that 19th century authors went to great lengths to prove the stories they were telling were true, such as the actual narrator meeting someone on a ship, train, etc. and hearing the story. Or someone finding a manuscript in an old trunk.

Lori wrote: "So what is Uncle Ben doing? Is he a conspirator or a spy for the king? The conspirators appear to be using flashes of light to communicate, and gathering in places that others are afraid to enter. ..."

Yes, it will be interesting to find out if Uncle Ben is friend or foe - - spy or in cohorts with the conspirators. Either way, why would he bring Ruth along? Sounds a bit dangerous if he's on a special mission. Is he trying to marry her off to John?

Which, I feel so bad for her in Chp. 35! To be horrendously insulted by the Ridds and then they get offended because she's offended! It's one of those moments when you groan aloud while reading!

As you said Lori, I wonder if the odd sounds can be explained away by the conspirators! Hopefully the book won't leave us in the dark!