Jane Austen discussion

We are now on part 3 of our discussion of the novel. This will cover chapters 21 through 30.

Molly now has a sister in Cynthia, so lets find out what happens!

I posted this before in the wrong thread so I'm moving it where it belongs.

---Spoiler---

The development of Molly's feelings for Roger are interesting. When she first meets him, she takes almost no notice of him. Her attention is all for the handsome heir, Osborne. She thinks that Roger is ugly. When she cries about her father's marriage plans, Roger comforts her, and she begins to find out how kind and wise he is. As he continues to take an interest in her, her love for him grows. She thinks of him as an older brother. But when she sees his infatuation for Cynthia, that suddenly changes, and she is jealous. From then on, her love is not the love of a sister for a brother, but romantic love.

Remember Emma and Mr. Knightley? They were both very satisfied with their sibling-like relationship, and had no thoughts of marriage, until jealousy of another person made them realize that they wanted to marry each other.

This scenario is common in literature and movies because it's common in real life. In fact, it was an element in my courtship with my husband.

--no spoiler--

Dorothy Tennov wrote a great book about the difference between loving someone and being in love with them that discusses this. It's called Love and Limerence.
http://www.goodreads.com/search/searc...

I agree with you Alicia, I'm also beginning to see Molly's being 'jealous' of Roger's attention over Cynthia. Simply delicious! and it's Cute! what you say about your relationship :)


Now I find Mr. Gibson's choice to provide Polly with a 'mother' is quite ironical. Mrs. Gibson is supposed to fillin the mother role in Molly's life when she's a woman who cannot have a sound relationship with her own daughter. I like Cynthia. And I continue to feel sorry for Hamley brothers. Looking from Osborne's point of view, it must be a heavy burden to fulfil the dreams and ambitions of of his parents. Then there's Roger who is shadowed by his brother. It's only after the death of his wife and the disappiontment of his elder son, he even begin to consider Roger. Gaskell is critical on parenting in this novel, both with Hamleys and Gibsons.

P.S. Question: I guess I must have missed it some where earlier, what exactly was Mrs. Hamley's illness?

You're right, Amalie. It does no one any good when a parent favors one child over another, and Gaskell shows this clearly. It harms both the favored child and the neglected child. In my experience,the less favored child usually harbors a strong resentment toward the favored one. Roger is unusual in that he has no resentment toward Osborne. Osborne starts to feel resentment toward Roger when Roger is successful and has a fellowship while Osborne has no way of making money, but he doesn't allow himself to become resentful. He takes it as completely his due that Roger gives him half or more of the money he gets. When their father dies, Osborne stands to inherit almost everything. Roger should be saving or investing that money for his own future, instead of supporting Osborne's wife. But Roger is completely unselfish, and he loves Osborne so much he can't bear for him to suffer. What an outstanding person he is!

It's true that Mr. Gibson and Molly are really paying for his mistake in marrying hastily without getting to know the real character of his wife. She was appropriate in every outward characteristic, but completely inappropriate where it matters most, the heart. She has no integrity.

About Mrs. Hamley's illness--Gaskell never tells what it is. Medicine may have not been well enough advanced to give a specific diagnosis.

That is a puzzlement to me, too.