Women's Classic Literature Enthusiasts discussion
Nov 2020- The Fountain Overflows
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Nov. 2020 Fountain Overflows (Chap 10 to end)
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Charlene
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Oct 31, 2020 11:40AM
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I finished. Somewhere around chapter 7 or 8 I wanted to quit but I kept going. The second half takes off on a different tangent and that helped.
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I should finish tonight then I can go back and read the introduction. I never read them first incase they spoil the story.
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I remember seeing that Cousin Jock was very protective of money to where Constance and Rosamunde did sewing for their own money.
Charlene wrote: "Does the story ever explain why Constance and Rosamunde move in with the Aubreys at the end? I remember seeing that Cousin Jock was very protective of money to where Constance and Rosamunde did s..."
I took it that it wasn't much fun living with Jock, whereas they were happy with the Aubreys.
I've finished - & the book gave me a lot to ponder.
Do we post freely or should I use spoiler tags?
I'll start with posting regarding the links in the other thread - which were certainly interesting reading!Such a lot of bitterness! Ms West & her husband certainly don't sound like nice people. Anthony West is also very bitter.
Was it one of the links I read here or somewhere else that Ms West did want to see Anthony before her death, but said there was no point trying as he hated her so much?
Letitia Fairfield (the real Cordelia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letitia... who certainly sounds an admirable person.
Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I'll start with posting regarding the links in the other thread - which were certainly interesting reading!Such a lot of bitterness! Ms West & her husband certainly don't sound like nice people. ..."
I also looked up her sister Letitia, who was a very accomplished woman, and can understand why she disliked this book.
No spoiler tags needed. I think we are far enough into the month to discuss freely.
Marilyn wrote: "I also looked up her sister Letitia, who was a very accomplished woman, and can understand why she disliked this book.."The repetitive nature of the attacks on Cordelia/Letitia caused me to knock half a star off the book. (it would have been a 5 star read otherwise)I would speculate that they were motivated by jealousy.
Do you have a link for Letitia's opinion, Marilyn?
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Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Marilyn wrote: "I also looked up her sister Letitia, who was a very accomplished woman, and can understand why she disliked this book.."The repetitive nature of the attacks on Cordelia/Letitia ca..."
I also thought the criticism of Cordelia was overdone in the first half of the book to the point that I almost stopped reading.
From the NYRB reading group guides:
http://www.nybooks.com/media/doc/2009...
This is the first discussion question:
1. The Fountain Overflows is a semi-autobiographical novel that echoes many of the events and individuals of Rebecca West’s childhood. In particular, the character of Cordelia is based on West’s older sister, Letitia Fairfield, who hated the novel and her depiction in it. Yet West had dedicated the book to her. Is Cordelia as despicable as Rose thinks she is? Is Cordelia treated fairly by her sisters and her mother?
Marilyn wrote: "Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Marilyn wrote: "I also looked up her sister Letitia, who was a very accomplished woman, and can understand why she disliked this book.."The repetitive nature of the..."
Indeed. this was the question that provoked my inquiry in the other thread. she was brutal to Cordelia - portraying everyone in the family talking about her lack of talent ad nauseam both in and outside of her presence. West channels Lionel Shriver's self-righteous tone-deafness here.
Thanks for the link, Marilyn.Fortunately I don't need to like my authors to love their work!
Certainly Ms West effectively stopping her son's book Heritage being published in England reeks of hypocrisy! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...
Is Cordelia treated fairly by her sisters and her mother?I certainly don't think she is treated fairly by the mother. The mother is constantly running her down to her other daughters, even when they are almost certainly living off the money Cordelia earns. (is this ever stated)
The teacher's infatuation with Cordelia made me very uncomfortable. (this isn't a criticism of the writing - I think I was meant to feel like that)
Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: they are almost certainly living off the money Cordelia earns. (is this ever stated)Rose made the comment that the money earned by Cordelia went to the purchase of dresses to look good at concerts, the care of the dresses, and the cost of music lessons, which didn't leave much profit. Later we find out that Cordelia saw the money as a way to buy her way out and into her own life. I wondered if she had been holding back money.
I thought Cordelia had said something about helping the family out, but Im not sure. But I do remember Cordelia hoping the money would give her a way out.The father obviously held something back! Makes me wonder how long he had been planning his 'escape.'
Because I was annoyed by the criticism of Cordelia, I think I missed a larger point that West was making about music and art. Any thoughts?
Finally finished the book. So many contradictory thoughts... The story seems to build up to the idea of women's independence, but is completely corseted by very strict notions of gender roles and class distinction. It's as if she had been trying to write a case study of Bourdieu's social, cultural and economic capital... I disliked and pitied every single character in that book (I seem to be in the minority but I found Cordelia absolutely as insufferable as her sisters - which is no surprise when you are raised in such a snobbish environment). I can't say I was particularly taken by the story, but the last few chapters were more interesting.I think I read the whole atmosphere as a "behind the scenes" for the usual portraits of celebrated geniuses, artistic families, "good taste" etc. The parents reminded me a bit of Clara and Robert Schumann, who were both geniuses and must have been pretty hard to deal with as parents. Which I think there is a hint of when Rose talks about her mother as being younger than the children in many ways, and when she realises she "does not exist" in the last chapter: she only exists through her parents' eyes and praise, as a pet project.
I'm sorting out my bookshelves & I found another copy of
This one had the quote that gave the book it's name.
The cistern contains: the fountain overflows
On the back flap of the dust jacket there is a picture of West in middle age. She says that she has been slightly embarrassed that this book is believed to be autobiographical. She said Mamma is her mother & that in their childhood they were very poor. Everything else was fiction.
