Reading the Chunksters discussion
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Our Mutual Friend
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Our Mutual Friend - Week 12
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Where can I see the summaries? I read Our Mutual Friend 7 years ago and would love to read the summaries to remind me of the many plots.
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Click on the "view spoiler" in the comment and you should see them. Any errors and omissions are entirely mine.
Peg wrote: "Where can I see the summaries? I read Our Mutual Friend 7 years ago and would love to read the summaries to remind me of the many plots."FYI, you won't be able to see the summaries under the spoiler tags if you are using the app. This is apparently one of GR's very useful "features".
Thank you so much, Linda.
Yay! So happy for Bella and Rokesmith that they stood up to Boffin and got away! But why is Rokesmith/ Harmon still hiding his identity? His original reason was because he didn't want the Boffins to lose their inheritance but surely that would be a good thing now. I imagine the will that Wegg is looking for will come into play here. I can't wait to see what scheme Mrs Lammle is cooking up with Boffin. Has it been explained why they are suddenly no longer able to hide their debts?
I've realised that the Veneerings are being used as a framing device at the start and end of each part to show how the other characters are gossiped about. Their chapters are easier to read now that I'm not trying to work out how they fit into the story.
Mod
FYI, you won't be able to see the summaries un..."
There is nothing I can do about that, but they do work on a phone or tablet in the browser.
Mod
It is fascinating to read your speculations with the hindsight of having read part 4 - Dickens sets everything up so cleverly. I made the mistake of reading Dickens' number plans (which appear in the back of my Penguin Classics edition) as I went along, which revealed some very important spoilers much earlier than they appear in the main text.
Hugh wrote: "Jess wrote: "Yay! So happy for Bella and Rokesmith that they stood up to Boffin and got away! But why is Rokesmith/ Harmon still hiding his identity? His original reason was because he didn't want ..."Ooh I hate it when that happens. I never read ahead and find it astounding that some people like to read the last page of a book before they even start it. Madness!
With classics I have also started to skip introductions and forewards and revisit them at the end too as they also sometimes will spoil major plot points despite their position before the novel.
Jess wrote: "I've realised that the Veneerings are being used as a framing device at the start and end of each part to show how the other characters are gossiped about. Their chapters are easier to read now that I'm not trying to work out how they fit into the story. "I too spent time wondering how the Veneerings might fit in and, as your explanation makes sense, it relieves some needless use of brain cells - a good thing as the intricacies of the various plots in this novel does require much brain cell usage.
While I liked that Bella chose to go with Rokesmith, I don't think I had an accurate read on her attitude toward him. I thought her stated annoyance with him seemed to grow into 'love' without much transition. Yet since I thought she would choose him by the end of the book, I may have just missed some of her previous expressions of a positive attitude toward Rokesmith, especially if they were subtle or understated.
I’m also glad that Bella and Rokesmith ended up together, but I was also surprised thinking that I missed clues to her actually having feelings for him. I was more glad to see her tell Mr Boffin exactly what she thought of him and how money has ruined his likability. I loved her outbursts and uses of “There!” punctuating the end of each declaration of her thoughts on Boffin. I am still confused on what these “mounds” are and why bottles and such are being dug up out of them.
This covers the final five chapters of Book Three (13 to 17).
Chapter summaries:
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13. Fledgeby is left alone in Riah’s counting house. Jenny comes to visit. Twemlow also arrives looking for Riah. Fledgeby notes his discomfort and asks if he can help. Twemlow explains his only debt, how it came about and says Riah wants it repaid. Riah returns, but Twemlow’s case is dismissed.
14. Venus continues to attend Wegg’s meetings with Boffin, and manages to slip Boffin a note inviting him to the shop. Venus tells Boffin how they saw him dig up the Dutch bottle and casts doubt on Wegg’s honesty. Wegg arrives, and Venus hides Boffin. Wegg asks to see the will again, and describes Sloppy’s arrival to oversee the clearing of the mounds. Venus allows Wegg to incriminate himself. Wegg departs, and Venus tells Boffin to come out. They discuss what to do next. Boffin invites Venus to the House. On his way home Boffin is stopped by a lady in a carriage. Mrs Lammle invites him into the carriage for a chat.
15. At breakfast the next morning, Boffin is unusually short with Rokesmith. Bella asks Mrs Boffin what is happening, she says she can’t say. Boffin approaches Bella and says he will see her righted. He summons Rokesmith and accuses him, giving a lengthy speech. Rokesmith’s response is for Bella and Mrs Boffin – he says his interest in Bella was pure and not motivated by money. Bella speaks up, saying she wishes she had remained poor, and that money has corrupted her. She accuses Boffin of heartlessness. Bella talks about how she betrayed Rokesmith’s secret and asks him to forgive her, to which he agrees. Bella tells Boffin she has to leave the house and will take only what she came with. She says that Mrs Boffin has been a good friend. She changes into her old dress and leaves, finding that Rokesmith has already gone.
16. Bella goes to her father’s office, finding him alone in the evening taking tea before going home. She is about to explain what has happened when Rokesmith arrives and embraces her. When they have told RW the story he says that she was right and he is proud of her. He gets a loaf and a drink for Roksemith too. Bella goes home with RW. Mrs Wilfer hides her disappointment with Bella. Lavvy tells Bella she will probably marry George Sampson, whose prospects have improved.
17. The Lammles’ property is auctioned. They are no longer among the Veneerings’ oldest and dearest friends. The Veneerings decide to hold another dinner with all of the usual guests and more. Mrs Lammle goes to see Twemlow, asking him not to talk about her debts to Riah. Twemlow explains his own debts. Twemlow goes to the Veneerings’ dinner. A coachman delivers a note on a salver to Wrayburn, this tells him Blight is outside. Blight has brought Mr Dolls, who sells him a scrap of paper. Wrayburn leaves, refusing to answer Mrs Tippins’ questions.
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