Victorians! discussion

For discussion of these chapters (I will add the chapter titles later)

These chapters are called Of an Educational Character ~ A Piece of Work

It seems the story and the characters really come into focus beginning in this section. Bradley Headstone begins to unfold as a disturbing character. There are several description of him that make one wonder -- he seems dissatisfied with himself and he has a "settled trouble in the face." And oddly, he is being watched by the school teacher who is in love with him, Miss Peecher, and her star pupil, Mary Anne - who also watches her love Charley. This was a bit startling of an introduction for him, especially as Headstone claims to be the height of respectability.

We also find that Eugene has befriended Lizzie and Jenny. He still continues to label himself a bad idle dog, but we see him caring about Lizzie and showing some emotion as he is afraid he has insulted Jenny about her disabilities.

I noticed that when Dickens "belittles" a character he tends to use repetition....Mr Headstone is ever so "decent."

I can already see that Charley is looking to drop Lizzie as someone who would bring him down. I did not like much of his talk with Headstone about his sister. As they say "eaten bread is soon forgotten" and it does seem that Charley is forgetting the care his sister has provided him

Strange little girl presented in Chapter 1 of this section. And yes, Sarah, we do many
characters take shape now. I agree we need to watch Mr Headstone. He seems devious
to me.

Jenny seems to be the parent of her father. She seems to be a strong person given her handicap and all. I like her, but she does seem strange in a way.

Remember when Eugene takes hold of Charley's head when Charley is talking about Lizzie and her illiteracy early in the book? Eugene had Charley's number before he even met Lizzie.

Oh, that's true...he did...

I have to say I laughed out loud at the Piece of Work chapter.....the Veneerings and all are quite something ridiculous.

Yes, Bea, I paid attention to that scene too. I think in Eugene, I begin to find a character who is way more than what he tells the world. And his perception of things is much keener than he will proclaim also.

Marialyce, it is an interesting contrast that Dickens makes between Lizzie and Charley also. They both must have some natural makeup that they wanted something different from the river life their father led. However, Lizzie still clings to the river spiritually, so to speak, and acknowledges her link to it. Charley however, never wants to see it again and feels he must make a complete break from that life socially.

Marialyce wrote: can already see that Charley is looking to drop Lizzie as someone who would bring him down. I did not like much of his talk with Headstone about his sister. As they say "eaten bread is soon forgotten" ...

I was doing the same consideration, and rememberig how glad I was at the beginning of the book of he being depicted as a reading boy, opposite to those who coulnd't read, I thought that it is not always "good" to have a "superior instruction", as we say in Italy!

LauraT, that is a good term "superior instruction." That is funny.

How would you say it in Italian?

"Istruzione superiore"; nice isn't it?

There are many people I don't like in this book when we first meet them. The first is Bella, with the somewhat flighty things she says and her chewing on her curls. But as book 1 progressed, she began to grow on me. Now, I am reading book 2, about halfway through chapter 1, and I don't like Headstone. It struck me that the only real reason is because Dickens is talking about the characters' habits (Bella chewing on her hair, Headstone putting his fingers in button holes then chewing on his fingers). Thank goodness I don't have Dickens minutely describing my bad habits, or I would dislike myself a good deal as well!

Marialyce wrote: "I can already see that Charley is looking to drop Lizzie as someone who would bring him down."

I didn't get that sense from the chapter, but I listened to it a while back (got interrupted for a few weeks and just got back to the book a few days ago, so maybe I'm not remembering the subtleties.) But it seemed to me that he was still fond of Lizzie. Am I not reading carefully enough?

Marialyce wrote: "Jenny seems to be the parent of her father. She seems to be a strong person given her handicap and all. I like her, but she does seem strange in a way.
"

Definitely. I can't get her straight in my mind; she seems both so sophisticated and so innocent. A strange young woman. Makes me wonder who or what Dickens had before him in creating her.

Everyman wrote: "Marialyce wrote: "I can already see that Charley is looking to drop Lizzie as someone who would bring him down."

I didn't get that sense from the chapter, but I listened to it a while back (got in..."

Everyman, I think it was a feeling but there were a few statements that Charley made that made me think that he will drop her. The first one was "When are you going to settle yourself in some Christian sort of place Liz? ......I am ashamed to have brought Mr Headstone with me."
" It will be a very hard thing, Liz, when I am trying my best to get up in the world, you pull me back. "........Don't pull me back and hold me down."

Marialyce wrote: "Everyman, I think it was a feeling but there were a few statements that Charley made that made me think that he will drop her."

Ah, I see. I interpreted them more as his wanting to bring her along to where he was going, to improve her along with him, but your interpretation seems equally valid. Will be interesting to see how this works out.