Reading the Chunksters discussion
Our Mutual Friend
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Our Mutual Friend - Week 9
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Only Riderhood could be run through by a steamer and live to tell the tale! His character is so fun.I enjoyed the story of The Wilfers' courting days and the awkwardness of George Sampson.
Has it been shown previously that Lightwood is intending to propose to Bella? If so I missed this.
Jess, I don’t remember any Bella/Lightwood interaction, so if there was I also missed it. I enjoyed the Wilfers’ courting scene as well. So, according to Mrs Wilfer’s mother, tall people are smart and short people are…not. OK.
I couldn’t get over everyone fussing over Bella cooking. Was that because she never did so in the past, or because now she’s been elevated in society so she shouldn’t be cooking? Maybe a bit of both. I laughed at her pink chicken. Yum. 😂
You are right - Lightwood's interest in Bella was not mentioned earlier than this and doesn't play a major part in the story - if I hadn't written it down I would have forgotten it.
After the last section ending, I had expected the story to turn more toward the point of view of Rokesmith/Harmon/Handford but he is not seen and only referred to in the last chapter on the Wilfers. Also, no Lizzie love triangle, another prime plot part. Instead we get more, except for the Bella chapter, focused on side characters like Fledgeby, Riah and Wren. As Jess point out, the Riderhood episode was a bit fun though.I guess I have to expect such passages between sections of any particular plot point when there is the amount of characters operating in this book.
Chapter summaries:
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1. Riah goes to see Fledgeby to show him his accounts, and is made to wait. Lammle arrives and interrupts them to tell Fledgeby that Podsnap has forbidden his daughter to see the Lammles. He goes. Fledgeby asks Riah where Lizzie is, and he eventually admits that he helped her to find a safe refuge.
2. Riah goes to see Jenny Wren. They go to the pub to see Miss Potterson to discuss Lizzie. They show her Riderhood’s confession, and she offers them shrub (a drink). Riah makes her a copy of the statement. They see a steamer on the river that is attracting a crowd. They discover that the steamer has hit a wherry on the river, they bring the wherry, find a body and bring it into the pub. Mrs Potterson recognises it as Riderhood.
3. A doctor is summoned, and they attempt to revive Riderhood. Pleasant is also found and brought. They eventually succeed in reviving him, but he shows no gratitude and is as combative as ever. Pleasant takes him home.
4. The Wilfers celebrate a wedding anniversary at home. Bella arrives in her carriage. Rokesmith has declined to attend but allows them to use his room, which Bella investigates. Bella offers to help cook. George Sampson appears, now as Lavinia’s would be suitor. They attempt to carve the fowls and discover they are uncooked, so RW finishes cooking them himself. RW walks Bella home, and she tells him four secrets, that she has declined Rokesmith’s proposal, is trying to stop Lightwood proposing, that Mrs Boffin has offered her a substantial marriage portion, and that she fears that money is starting to corrupt Boffin.
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