OMF, Book 2, Chp. 01-03

[Everyman]

John wrote: "Was trying to remember, was there a mention early in Book 1 that Lizzie had a brother? I don't recall any line in Chapter 1 to that effect."

Not until Chapter 3.

[Judy]

Just starting book 2 now - I was intrigued by the mention of "a very hideous church with four towers at the four corners, generally resembling some petrified monster, frightful and gigantic, on its back with its legs in the air."

I've just looked it up and it is St John's Church, Smith Square, now a concert venue - it certainly looks unusual, but not hideous to me! You have to scroll down a bit to get to it:

http://www.speel.me.uk/sculptlondon/w...

[Mary Lou]

Judy wrote: "Just starting book 2 now - I was intrigued by the mention of "a very hideous church with four towers at the four corners, gnerally resembling some petrified monster, frightful and gigantic, on its ..."

Thanks for sharing that, Judy. My mind skips over lots of passages that don't have dialog, even if I read them word for word. So I appreciate when others pull things like this out and focus on it - especially if there's a photo. How sad is it that in my 50s I need to revert back to picture books?

[Cindy]

Mary Lou wrote: "How sad is it that in my 50s I need to revert back to picture books? ..."

You're never too old for picture books, Mary Lou! I'm in my 50s and have started a nice collection. I just picked up one for Don Quixote last week. I also have ones for Dickens, Shakespeare, Poe, Austen, etc. The one about Shakespeare's life is also a new acquisition and is full of lovely illustrations, as well as foldouts, flaps, and pockets of documents. Definitely not intended for small children!

[Ami]

How much time has elapsed between G. Hexam's passing and Wrayburn's imploring of Lizzie in allowing him to help her better her circumstances? I would think not much time, but that means that Wrayburn and Lizzie have been acquainting themselves with one another more times than what is written...Is this correct, or am I being presumptuous? Their interaction at Jenny's house was awfully intimate in nature for two people who have met, at the most, only two times (The night of the Veneering Dinner, and then again, the night of Gaffer Hexam's death)? I feel as if I'm missing something....

I find Lizzie to be quite taken by Wrayburn, and perhaps, Wrayburn by Lizzie. The night he happened to stare at Lizzie through the window of her house, an action a few found creepy, it seems innocent enough now. I wonder if Wrayburn is one those characters Dickens likes to write, like Mr. Jaggers...One of those types whose external mannerisms are mismatched with their internal intentions...At least, I am hoping this is the case? Wrayburn is an odd bird, but what man isn't in this novel...We've got our pick of them, don't we?

[Mary Lou]

Ami wrote: "How much time has elapsed between G. Hexam's passing and Wrayburn's imploring of Lizzie in allowing him to help her better her circumstances? I would think not much time, but that means that Wraybu..."

My impression is that several weeks or months had passed. Long enough for Charley to be singled out by his headmaster, and for Lizzie to find new lodgings and develop a friendship with Jenny. I assumed, though I don't remember it being stated explicitly, that Wrayburn had become a regular visitor -- he and Jenny even seem to have developed a playful friendship. While Jenny and Lizzie may have known each other prior to being roommates, certainly a man like Wrayburn wouldn't have been acquainted with the likes of Jenny Wren prior to Lizzie having lived with her. So it would seem as though he'd visited often enough to be comfortable and familiar there.

[Tristram]

I remember that in one conversation between Mortimer and Eugene - shortly before Charley and Headstone came to see them - Mortimer complained that during their summer boat tour Eugene had more often than not simply disappeared for some time, saying that he did so because he wanted to prevent each one from getting on the other's nerves. After the conversation with Hexam and Headstone, Mortimer says that he now knows Eugene's secret. I took this as evidence that there was quite a number of visits on Eugene's part paid to Lizzie.

[Everyman]

Tristram wrote: "I took this as evidence that there was quite a number of visits on Eugene's part paid to Lizzie. ."

If that's true, poor Lizzie. First her father, now Eugene. When will she get a decent, honest man in her life?

[Bionic Jean]

John wrote: "OMF has a "meandering" quality to it. I don't necessarily say that in a negative context (though sometimes during my reading, I do). I guess brooks and slow rivers have a meandering quality, so per..."

I like this! It feel like that to me too so far, much more than Jane Smiley's summing up! "The plot works itself out clearly, logically, and with pleasure for the reader." What? No it's much more of a patchwork I think. Dickens at his most discursive with diverting us in both senses of the word!

I have no doubt it will all come together, and the many plots of Bleak House also felt like this to me. It's impossible, I think, to identify one "main" one, but they are all resolved.

Oh, that snake in the grass Eugene Wrayburn! Yes, he reminds me too of Sydney Carton's indolence, but also Steerforth's hypocritical dissembling!