NN, Chp. 41-45

[Alissa]

Julie wrote: "Kim wrote: "Tristram wrote: "Now, what a coincidence, isn’t it???

A wonderful coincidence, just knowing how much it bugs you makes it even better. :-)"

Looks like even Dickens was feeling the coincidences were piling up a little too fast:..."

I think Dickens uses coincidence as a form of divine intervention. Ralph is "of the world," and Nicholas is not, so Nicholas has heaven rather than worldly powers on his side. Nicholas seems to function entirely on coincidence. Jobs come to him, the right people show up at the right time, and people like Noggs, Cheeryble, and Browdie want to help.

Ralph, on the other hand, has to work, plan, and make calculations for the things he wants. His worldly powers are limited. I don't recall Ralph catching a break like Nicholas, as Ralph himself commented:

‘There is some spell about that boy,’ said Ralph, grinding his teeth. ‘Circumstances conspire to help him. Talk of fortune’s favours! What is even money to such Devil’s luck as this?’

Poor Ralph. Not just unloved by his parents, but God too. I wonder if he'll reform at all, or just back out of the picture with his money.

Edit: You could say Snawley helped Ralph, but is this "luck" or an association by business?

[Tristram]

Xan Shadowflutter wrote: "First, Tristram, thanks for the tongue-in-cheek sarcasm, and I say that hoping you're not reading it saying to yourself, tongue-in-cheek? What sarcasm?"

Never fear my not being sarcastic ;-)

[Tristram]

Julie wrote: "Tristram wrote: "Kim wrote: "Can you? Climb a wall that is."

I usually make other people go up walls ;-)"

All this talk about climbing walls makes me wonder how the fencing's going."

Touché, Julie. Thanks for asking. I have finished the introductory course and now know how to move, how to attack and to parry but the autumn holidays have thrown me back into my rather sedate lifestyle and I have not yet signed a long-term membership with the club yet. However, I think I will or I might (my son is going to, at any rate) because of all the sports I have tried so far, this is the one I feel least skeptical about :-)

[Tristram]

Alissa wrote: "Julie wrote: "Kim wrote: "Tristram wrote: "Now, what a coincidence, isn’t it???

A wonderful coincidence, just knowing how much it bugs you makes it even better. :-)"

Looks like even Dickens was ..."

Yes, Nicholas seems to have some lucky charm in that everybody seems to attach great value to his opinions (remember Mr. Lillyvick, who asked the young man for advice for his marital life) or to feel inclined to help him. This is partly, of course, because of his charm (as in Miss La Creevy's case), which seems to have been handed down to him from his father, who was also generally liked as a genial and friendly and open-minded person. In a way, Nicholas thrives well on this second-hand charm, hehehe. In Newman's case, the decision to help the young man, was influenced by his former relation to Nick's father, but one may also assume that he has started to like this petulant, condescending, pompous specimen of a young country gent. One wonders why, though.

Most of the times, however, Nick is helped on by coincidence, and while one may see divine intervention in this, as a narrative device, it is rather stale. As Julie pointed out, the author must have noticed and therefore sent Tim Linkinwater to the front to make it clear that things like that can only happen in London.

In fact, Nicholas has never as yet done anything very substantial to thwart his uncle's plans. Was Dickens better at contriving the plot than the counter-plot in NN?

[Julie]

Tristram wrote: "I have finished the introductory course and now know how to move, how to attack and to parry but the autumn holidays have thrown me back into my rather sedate lifestyle and I have not yet signed a long-term membership with the club yet.."

Nice! I never made it past the introductory course. Same thing happened with sailing, which I also tried and loved. The challenge for me seems to be getting to any kind of regularly scheduled lesson. That or my fickle sports-spirit, I guess.

[Tristram]

I must confess that I am one of the laziest people you can imagine - that is, with reference to bodily exertion, and not with work in general. I once caught myself thinking, while running around our nearby lake (neither in pursuit of anybody nor being pursued but just to improve my stamina), "Why are you doing this? It must certainly look silly to somebody sitting on a bench and smoking his pipe. Besides, you could be reading a book or eating an ice-cream right now." - And now, I have taken up running again, because I noticed that I am not in a very good condition and that if you want to do some fencing, you must have some stamina and cannot lose your breath too early. I am also down to about five pipes per week. One should not exaggerate good behaviour.

[Kim]

Tristram wrote: "I once caught myself thinking, while running around our nearby lake (neither in pursuit of anybody nor being pursued but just to improve my stamina)

Did it work?

[Tristram]

It worked in the sense of making me stop running, so you can say it did not work at all. I should have carried on because now, a few years later, I notice that I could do with a bit more stamina in those fencing duels. And that's why I picked up running again.

[Bobbie]

I have finally made it to this point in the story and it is moving along now. Some areas do seem to bog down for me and a lot of everyday things are getting in the way of reading, like a trip to Dallas and a trip to Brenham and lots of Dr. visits for myself and my husband. I do hope we move on now and find out more about Nicholas' love interest.

[Peter]

Bobbie wrote: "I have finally made it to this point in the story and it is moving along now. Some areas do seem to bog down for me and a lot of everyday things are getting in the way of reading, like a trip to Da..."

Hi Bobbie

Yes, the time of year and the other nuances of life do tend to rob us of much reading time. Now that you are into the heart of the novel I think you will find some time to keep going. And if not, then you can join us at the beginning of A Christmas Carol that starts this weekend.

I imagine you have read ACC and since we are reading it each week in December the book may well be a perfect reading gift to yourself.

[Kim]

Peter wrote: "Yes, the time of year and the other nuances of life do tend to rob us of much reading time."

Here's a dumb thing I did. Our church puts up a Christmas tree, a really big Christmas tree, it's about 15 foot high. Unfortunately it is a pre-lit tree, one of my most hated Christmas ideas, because sooner or later those pre-lit lights will stop lighting pre or not pre, and when they go out they never all go out, just some here and some there. So they got the tree out last week and about half the lights didn't go on. Not all in one section of course, but some here and some there, some high, some low, you get the idea. And they come to me, what should we do? type of thing. Here's where the dumb part comes in, I offered to bring the thing home and fix the lights. Now that it is here I am bewildered as to why I would volunteer for such a thing especially since everything here isn't done yet, but I started today anyway. I have three sections working, but four sections that don't. Why didn't they come to me about this in July? :-)

[Peter]

Kim wrote: "Peter wrote: "Yes, the time of year and the other nuances of life do tend to rob us of much reading time."

Here's a dumb thing I did. Our church puts up a Christmas tree, a really big Christmas tr..."

The Christmas tree must be happy to be in your home surrounded by all your other decorations. My guess is it will try and figure out a way to stay. Get it fixed quickly and then take it back to your church immediately. :-))

[Bobbie]

I am seeing ads on TV for a gun like tool that is supposed to fix those strings of lights that are out or partially out. It shows it being pointed at them, snapped or triggered and the lights come on. It looks great but I wonder how that could work. Does anyone know anything about that?

As for A Christmas Carol, I have read it several times, the last time last year so I will continue with NN and skip ACC this year, although I do love it.

[Kim]

Bobbie wrote: "I am seeing ads on TV for a gun like tool that is supposed to fix those strings of lights that are out or partially out. It shows it being pointed at them, snapped or triggered and the lights come ..."

I've seen it Bobbie, but I've never tried it, I just destroy my fingers pulling out the old bulbs and putting in new ones. The other day I had a string of 100 lights and only 50 worked, so I spent a good amount of time taking each and every bulb out of the string that didn't work, testing it in the string that did, then either putting it back in place or replacing it with a working one. Finally I got through all the bulbs, everyone was new or working, plugged it in, and nothing worked at all. I got mad and threw the whole thing away. :-)

[Mary Lou]

Kim wrote: "I got mad and threw the whole thing away...."

You are a glutton for punishment, Kim. But I'll bet you're loving every minute of it, deep down inside. :-)

[Xan]

Kim wrote: "I got mad and threw the whole thing away. :-)"

A Great solution. Such finality puts an end to it.

[Tristram]

Kim wrote: "Why didn't they come to me about this in July? :-) "

Because they know you are someone who likes a challenge?

[Xan]

Tristram wrote: "Kim wrote: "Why didn't they come to me about this in July? :-) "

Because they know you are someone who likes a challenge?"

Because it's not Christmas in July.

[Kim]

It's Christmas any time it's not Lent around here. :-)

[Kim]

"I leave such society, with my pa, for hever," said Miss Squeers.

Chapter 42

Charles Edmund Brock

Text Illustrated:

‘I leave such society, with my pa, for Hever,’ said Miss Squeers, looking contemptuously and loftily round. ‘I am defiled by breathing the air with such creatures. Poor Mr. Browdie! He! he! he! I do pity him, that I do; he’s so deluded. He! he! he!—Artful and designing ‘Tilda!’

With this sudden relapse into the sternest and most majestic wrath, Miss Squeers swept from the room; and having sustained her dignity until the last possible moment, was heard to sob and scream and struggle in the passage.

[Tristram]

That's a very precious picture, isn't it: Just observe the similarity in posture and facial expression between the two Wackfords, big and small. It shows how much the son strives to be like his father one day ;-)