Tracey’s Comments (group member since Jul 17, 2016)

Tracey’s comments from the Sir Walter Scott Appreciation group.

Rosemarie wrote: "Perhaps Scott is showing us that we can be immature at any age and thusly can learn at any age.
Jeannie is a very authentic person. She has her beliefs and lives by them.

In your question as to wh..."

Yes Scott had great respect for women and was a man overflowing with integrity. He was a great man from a young age and I am slowly collecting his works for my descendants to read. I have great difficulty obtaining them through the library system and think this is a great shame.

Rosemarie wrote: "I think Jeanie did the right thing. Even though it might cost her sister her life, she could not lie. If she had lied, she would have felt guilty in her own eyes of a great sin. She also realized t..."

I am very impressed with Jeanie's beliefs. She trusts in her ability to gain answers and direction from Heaven if she will walk before God faithfully to the best of her ability. How many of us could stand such a test as she had in the court room?

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I was wearied somewhat by the long passages about the law. Did you feel that Scott included too much that was not needed?

Rosemarie wrote: "I have read a lot more of the book now and see the strength in Jeanie.
Her father's religious beliefs look at the letter of the law in the Bible, selectively, and he focuses on those passages which..."

In a lot of Scott's works there seems to be a coming of age for the male character and in this he seems to have picked an older man who yet again becomes more mature by the experiences described.

Rosemarie wrote: "I have read a lot more of the book now and see the strength in Jeanie.
Her father's religious beliefs look at the letter of the law in the Bible, selectively, and he focuses on those passages which..."

Do you think women are viewed better today?

In this week's reading we come to the trial of Effie.
1. Do you think what Jeanie did in court was the correct thing to do?
2. Why do you think Effie will not name the woman who was attending the birth of her baby?

I am a little behind with reading having a lot of professional courses to do right now, but please post here thoughts and/or questions and I will catch up soon.

Rosemarie wrote: "Deans is hard on himself too. I am sure he is suffering but doesn't want anyone to know."

I feel he is a man struggling with inner turmoil. His love of his daughter is wrestling with his beliefs that he has held for a long time. I believe this is a crossroads for him and hope it will prove to be the motivation for him turning from the pharisaical letter of the law type of a Christian to a good Samaritan.

Rosemarie wrote: "There has been a lot more action as new characters are introduced. The meeting with the mysterious young man took place in a typically gothic setting-the dark forest, the rocky landscape, the haunt..."

Jeanie Deans seems to be smarter and less emotionally driven than most of the men in the story, and yet women at the time were viewed as being troublesome (see Mr. Sharpitlaw's comments)

1. What are your thoughts on the religious sects of the time? Have things changed much in today's world?
2. What do you think of Baillie Middleburgh's statement that 'errors of our offspring should not surprise us, which they derive of a common portion of corruption inherited...and do not entitle us to cast them off.'
Compare this to David Deans stand point.

Rosemarie wrote: "I find David Deans to be extremely harsh, self-centred and completely oblivious to the feelings of others. I feel sorry for both his daughters. Jeannie, because she deserves a better life and Effie..."

Deans is indeed intractable and bigoted. Can you see any good qualities he has despite this?

This week's reading brings us to the end of the 1st volume of the 4 that this book was originally published as. At this point of the story:
1. Who is your favourite male character and why?
2. What are the differences and similarities of the Dean sisters?
3. Who is the stranger who wants to meet with Jeanie?

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Lori wrote: "Jeannie is one of my favorite Walter Scott characters. I'm trying to remember if this is his only novel with a female main character - there were Anne of Geierstein and The Fair Maid of Perth, but ..."

Good point to note.

Rosemarie wrote: "I can see why the people were enraged at the Porteous incident.
The personal plot is different than the other two books we read, which were both coming-of-age novels.
The action also starts much q..."

Yes the plot seems to be a different approach for Scott where his focus seems to be relating historical incidents, the reasons for them and their influence.

In these chapters we are introduced to some main characters; Douce Davie Deans and his daughters Jeanie and Effie, and the Butler family.
Any thoughts on these people?

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In these first 6 chapters we are introduced a little to the Scottish situation at the time and to certain historical events; increased taxes, Scottish justice, the use of the City Guard in situations of unrest and the Porteous riots. Please post your thoughts and comments here.

The Heart of Mid-Lothian is one of the series within the Waverley novels called 'Tales of My Land-lord.' These tales were supposedly collected by a man called Pattieson and transcribed into the novels by a Jedediah Cleishbotham (Scott).

The book which we will read as one volume was originally four and was written at a time of ill health for Scott., but is nevertheless thought by many to be his finest novel.

The story has 2 main threads, a religious side of Scottish history and the secular side. Scotland of the time was a poor country and to add to this the two countries, Scotland and England, were officially joined in one parliament in London in 1707. The Scottish people felt they had lost their identity and along with poverty and taxes caused an atmosphere of rebellion.

The power of Scott's novels is his ability to recreate the consciousness of the people of the age.