The Pickwick Club discussion
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Dombey and Son
Dombey and Son
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Dombey, Chapters 5 - 7
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Linda wrote: "Everyman wrote: "I love praying mantises. We sadly don't get them out her in the West coast,"I love them too. I've seen them in Eastern Washington while at Grand Coulee Dam, one landed one me a..."
Maybe they haven't managed to cross the Cascades yet.
Everyman, you're an endless source of amusement to me! ... I do wonder what the penalty ought to be for killing an innocent creature while praying. :P. We don't get them in Ireland, but I have seen them in other countries. We had a very friendly praying mantis in Corfu who used to love to keep us company during our al fresco breakfasts. He disappeared one day, probably having been hunted off the scene by some pesky cats. I normally like cats, but these seemed to be a tad wild with the occasional vicious streak. I think our mantis chose the better part!
Hilary wrote: "Everyman, you're an endless source of amusement to me! ... I do wonder what the penalty ought to be for killing an innocent creature while praying. :P. We don't get them in Ireland, but I have ..."
Don't encourage him. As to the 5000 mantis' I would absolutely love them too...if they'd stay outside where they belong, or go to Everyman's island. And Everyman, those of us in Pennsylvania catch lightning bugs in jars not praying mantis, no wonder we made you leave the state.
Everyman wrote: "I love praying mantises. We sadly don't get them out her in the West coast, but when I was unfortunate enough to have to live in Pennsylvania, I used to catch them and put them in jars and enjoy w..."I just went to the illegal praying mantis site you posted, why in the world have I been told that it is illegal to kill a praying mantis for 50 years if it never was? I knew it back during the Christmas tree fiasco but had forgotten in all the panic of the moment. I wonder why my mother drilled that into our heads when we were kids? I also remember her telling me every single night in the summer when we'd be outside playing to cover our heads the bats will fly into our hair if they see it. It sounded stupid then and it still does now. Also we'll go to jail for cutting mountain laurel, now I have to go see if that was also a Pennsylvania myth. :-} Oh, and you can't go swimming for an hour after eating or you'll die or some such thing.
Kim wrote: "And Everyman, those of us in Pennsylvania catch lightning bugs in jars not praying mantis, "Oh, I did my share of catching lightening bugs too. And crickets (the big black ones). And cabbage butterflies. (We were not allowed to catch the Monarch butterflies.) And box turtles, and garter snakes, though those we put into cardboard boxes, not into jars. But everything had to be let loose at bedtime.
Kim wrote: " I wonder why my mother drilled that into our heads when we were kids?"Looks like she drilled a lot of nonsense into your heads.
Which helps explain why you're so nutsy-cuckoo about Christmas.
Everyman wrote: "Kim wrote: " I wonder why my mother drilled that into our heads when we were kids?"Looks like she drilled a lot of nonsense into your heads.
Which helps explain why you're so nutsy-cuckoo abou..."
At least I'm not running around traumatizing poor little insects and other creatures by putting them in jars and boxes, not to mention how traumatizing touching the things would be to myself in the first place.
Oh, I looked up some of my mother's other stories and whether they are true or not, here you go:
Mom: "Don't pick the mountain laurel, we'll get arrested!"
Here is what the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation says about Kalmia latifolia (mountain laurel):
"There is a persistent myth that the designation of State flower affords Mountain laurel a protected status. This is not true. No one may remove any plant from public or private land without the landowner's or land manager's permission. But there are no legal restrictions on the cultivation of Mountain laurel."
Mom: "Kim cover you're head, the bats can see you and they'll head for your hair!"
From some bat website:
Bats do not try to become tangled in hair. In fact, insect-eating bats are equipped with a built in sonar system that allows them to navigate at break-neck speed through total darkness. Their unique echolocation ability is literally thousands of times more efficient than any similar system built by humans. If a bat swoops toward you, it’s probably after the mosquito that is hovering just above your head – not your hair.
Mom: "No, you can't go to the pool for an hour you just had lunch!"
From I forget which website:
"The myth involves the possibility of suffering severe muscle cramping and drowning from swimming on a full stomach. While it's true that the digestive process does divert the circulation of the blood toward the gut and to a certain extent, away from the muscles, the fact is that an episode of drowning caused by swimming on a full stomach has never been documented. Neither the American Academy of Pediatrics nor the American Red Cross makes any specific recommendations about waiting any amount of time after eating before taking a swim. There's a theoretical possibility that one could develop a cramp while swimming with a full stomach, but a person swimming in a pool or controlled swimming area could easily exit the water if this happens. As with any exercise after eating, swimming right after a big meal might be uncomfortable, but it won't cause you to drown.
Kim wrote: "Everyman wrote: "I love praying mantises. We sadly don't get them out her in the West coast, but when I was unfortunate enough to have to live in Pennsylvania, I used to catch them and put them in..."LOL, my grandmother also used to warn me of bats who deliberately will get entangled into people's hair. I always asked her why bats would want to do that, which made her just repeat her warning without adding any reasons. But she shook her head compassionately at me for having doubted her wisdom.
A lot of things happening in this installment! The mysterious letter--who wrote it? Does it tie in with our speculation of a lost love in Mrs. Dombey's pre-Dombey life?I know Susan Nipper is no one I would want minding my child, but I like her anyway. I'm wishing her a future with a calm loving husband who thinks she's cute.
It's very clear that Miss Tox-ic is on a Dombey-hunt. I do NOT wish her well!
Is that christening scene the coldest chapter ever written?
Has Dickens ever favorably presented a school? Hard Times, Nicholas Nickleby, and now, here, the Charitable Grinders. "appointed schoolmaster because he didn't know anything and wasn't fit for anything"
Walter meets Florence! Meets cute, meets sweet, meets heroically. Even if they never met again, they'd remember each other--and we just know they're going to meet again.
Another mystery, the connection between Carker Junior and Walter. Do we know anything yet about Walter's mother and father....
It's a little hard for us, living in an era of pre-made carefully balanced formulas, not to mention refrigeration, to realize how hard on a baby a too-early weaning could be.
Thinking of Florence, I have to remind myself that she had six years of love from her mother. I think that that was a solid foundation to 'teach her to love.' And, almost immediately Polly reached out to her, and then she had her brother. If her mother had lived, I think that jealousy might have been more plausible, since he would have competed for attention. But, Mr. Dombey has never given her any attention or love. So, in that sense, Paul hasn't taken anything away from her. And, I feel confident that what Mr. Dombey offers Paul isn't what a child needs, so Paul is going to cling to his sister, too.
Exciting installment. If I were back then, I'd certainly be saving my money for the next one, and biting my nails.
Elisa wrote: "A lot of things happening in this installment! The mysterious letter--who wrote it? Does it tie in with our speculation of a lost love in Mrs. Dombey's pre-Dombey life?I know Susan Nipper is no o..."
I enjoyed reading your thoughts and insights. It will be great to have you join us as we read David Copperfield.
Elisa wrote: "A lot of things happening in this installment!"There were indeed.
Walter meets Florence! Meets cute, meets sweet, meets heroically. Even if they never met again, they'd remember each other--and we just know they're going to meet again.
They very well might. Read on!
First, let me say that I don't expect anyone to read and/or respond to my posts. After two years and quite a few other books, I know you've all moved on and surely don't remember too many details about D&S. But I feel compelled to add my two cents, and feel a part of the conversation! I've just experienced the rare sensation of being critical of Dickens -- for the first time, I thought he was much too heavy-handed, specifically, with the description of the cold in the baptism scenes. From the church, to the food, to the wine... it was this, Kim, that reminded me of A Christmas Carol, and poor Bob Cratchit not being allowed to put another coal in the stove. At any rate, I got to the point where I was yelling at Dickens, "We get it! It's cold! And Dombey's got a cold heart! Get on with it!"
Which just goes to show you how cold and unfeeling *I* am, because that bothered me so much more than the treatment of Florence by "Good Mrs. Brown"! Having read the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson's appalling children's stories, Florence's abduction seemed about par for the course! But it was, truly, an awful experience that must have been terrifying -- thus showing Florence's strength and common sense. She is proving to be one of CD's finest heroines.
I'm fascinated by the character of Susan Nipper, and surprised that she's not been the focus of any of the discussion as yet. Hopefully she'll make her way to the front burner of the conversation as I continue on. She seems an odd combination of affection and brutality, knocking Florence upside the head just for good measure, because she seems to assume it's expected of her. Can't wait to see where Dickens takes her character.
Mary Lou wrote: "First, let me say that I don't expect anyone to read and/or respond to my posts. After two years and quite a few other books, I know you've all moved on and surely don't remember too many details a..."Oh, I'll keep you company off and on if that is OK. I agree with you that The Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen are, well, too grim.
I await your comments on Captain Cuttle and The Wooden Midshipman and ...
....and little Paul....
I love them too. I've seen them in Eastern Washington while at Grand Coulee Dam, one landed one me and startled the heck out of me! I calmed down once I realized what it was and saw how cute he was. :)