April Classics Read - The Count of Monte Cristo

[Jarvis]

@Rebecca.... what's happening in the story? :)

@Vân.... of course! Please join! :D

[Vân]

Chapter 6-10: A question that really irks me
(view spoiler)[ Does anyone feel the same that Edmond Dantes is not wholly innocent? Surely he delivered the package to fulfill his captain's wish, but Dantes also received a letter from the exiled king that contained info about the king's returning (which Villefort later found out). Even the most dutiful and naive man in the world wouldn't put himself at such a risk. Can we say that Edmond really did wrong and contributed to his arrest? (hide spoiler)]

[~~Poulomi Sylphrena Tonk$~~]

Gehna wrote: "Yay! Tonks! You too reading it! :D:D"

Yeah, or else I'll never get this tome done. :P

[~~Poulomi Sylphrena Tonk$~~]

*DISCUSSION POINTS*

Ch1 to Ch5

(view spoiler)[1. Dantès character is described as calm and collected. What do you think of him and his work which he does for Morrel?

Edmond Dantes appears to be the ideal kind. The ideal, beloved Captain. The ideal son. The ideal lover. I like the guy. He believes in himself and fulfills his responsibilities to perfection. I like the part when Caderousse says that Dantes shouldn't have refused to have lunch with Morrell, and he says, he can be Captain without favouring his bosses.

2. Both Danglars and Fernand are jealous of Dantès, but for different reasons. What do you think of this difference and the trouble it can cause?

Danglars is jealous of Dantes' position and the love of the crew he enjoys. Fernand, however is jealous of Dantes for having the woman he craved for, since long. Danglars is the cold and manipulative villian here and he is definitely more poisonous than Fernand. The latter is only a puppet used by Danglars for his spiteful reasons.


3. What elements, other than jealousy, do you think will play a major role in the story?

Jealousy will pave the way for Vengeance. Selfish motives and a hunger for power might come to play.

4. What do you think sudden arresting of Dantès on his wedding?

It was cruel and unjustified. Imagine being accused of the most heinous of crimes, or of being associated with the biggest enemy of the estate, when you're purely innocent. The happiest day of his life just did a flip and turned it to the most dreaded day of his life. (hide spoiler)]

[~~Poulomi Sylphrena Tonk$~~]

Okay, here's something I want to ask.

(view spoiler)[ Time and again, Dantes' foes, Caderousse and Danglars, exclaim that Dantes is an over-enthusiast. Long before he is crowned Captain, he starts behaving as one. What do you think about this remark? Do you think its true? (hide spoiler)]

[Purvika]

@Polo (view spoiler)[ I think he is more responsible person than an overenthusiast. He didn't want to waste time when his captain was dying and took the job on his shoulder. He is among those kind of people who doesn't think twice before stepping up to take a responsibility. Which is a very good quality indeed but also result in many foes. (hide spoiler)]

[~~Poulomi Sylphrena Tonk$~~]

Purvi : (view spoiler)[I agree with you. Haters gonna hate. They will find out weird justifications to their hatred, when actually the root cause of all evil is their jealousy. (hide spoiler)]

[Purvika]

Polo (view spoiler)[ Yeah, certainly. I have find out in many instances that people who are insecure and uncertain about themselves are often prone to jealousy over very small matters. They tend to find fault in everything someone else does better hence disregard others achievements. Recently I read a book which was the best example of these type of people. (hide spoiler)]

[~~Poulomi Sylphrena Tonk$~~]

Purvi : Which book is that? Ayn Rand? :D
Stupid me, you must have read more than a dozen books after that. :P

[Purvika]

~~Poulomi Nymphadora Tonk$~~ wrote: "Purvi : Which book is that? Ayn Rand? :D
Stupid me, you must have read more than a dozen books after that. :P"

Yes ma'am... It's Fountainhead only. Superb book I must say

[~~Poulomi Sylphrena Tonk$~~]

Woah, Bingo! :D

I have got to read that.

Where are you in Count? I'm being such a snail. :-/

[Rebecca]

@ Gehna (view spoiler)[ The Count is enjoying Albert's hospitality in Paris after rescuing him from bandits in Rome. It took me some time to get my bearings in the second part as the POV of the narration changed. But still good going (hide spoiler)]

@ Van(view spoiler)[ I too had that gnawing thought at the back of my mind that is why I put up that question in the discussion points. (hide spoiler)]

@ Polo (view spoiler)[ Dantes was a very capable fellow who had no qualms about assuming responsibilities. This quality brought on jealousy from those who coveted what Dantes had. (hide spoiler)]

[Vân]

DISCUSSION POINTS
Ch6 to Ch10
1. What do you think of Villefort especially as to his being in favour or against the king?
(view spoiler)[ Villefort is too ambitous, and a Royalist at heart (in contrary to his father who is a Bonapartist). That makes some people suspicious of him. But Louis XVIII understands his true nature and holds him in high esteem especially after he told the king about the returning plot of Napoleon. (hide spoiler)]
2 Dantes proclaims as to knowing nothing of the letter entrusted by the Captain. Does that actually absolve him?
I am confused about this question, too. To be honest I'm pretending all the time that Dantes is purely innocent (don't get mad at me)
3.Villefort is not really villainous at heart. He does what he does for a certain reason. Does that justify him? If not why?
(view spoiler)[ In fact I took a liking to him at first when he seemed to sympathize with Edmond and about to let the poor sailor go. But we all know it's his ambitions that blind him to others' misfortunes. If he saved Edmond, he and his father would be doomed. His decisions arise from the worries for his prospects and his love for his father but they produce destructive consequences. I think they justify him because it's actually hard to choose when you're under such pressures (hide spoiler)]
4 What do you think of Caderousse's role in the conspiracy?
(view spoiler)[ This coward and greedy drunkard has no active role, which makes me hate him less than the real devil Danglars. But he could have saved Edmond by speaking the truth afterwards (hide spoiler)]
5 What do you think of Louis XVIII? Is he the sort of king you always visualised a king would be?
(view spoiler)[ I am wondering why people still call him king ! In the book he just sits there and quotes lines from the Horrace, totally ignorant of his beloved country's affairs. At least he goes pale and shouts on hearing the news of Napoleon's plot. I utterly despise him and am glad in history his reign lasted less than a decade. (hide spoiler)]

[Purvika]

~~Poulomi Nymphadora Tonk$~~ wrote: "Woah, Bingo! :D

I have got to read that.

Where are you in Count? I'm being such a snail. :-/"

Don't worry I am giving you company on snailing ... I am at chap 6. As I was engrossed in troy...will resume reading tonight.

[~~Poulomi Sylphrena Tonk$~~]

Rebecca - Same here. (view spoiler)[I think some people just need to justify their mean ways by all those false accusations. (hide spoiler)]

Purvi- I'll snail a bit longer. Have to clear my currently reading shelves before resuming. :)

[Vân]

Everyone what is your progress? :)

[Rebecca]

Yayyyyy! I am finished. Five stars.

[Vân]

@Rebecca Congrats! The final exams are taking up my schedule but there's only 15% left. Seems like no one is interested in discussing further?

[Rebecca]

@ Van (view spoiler)[ what do you think of Wilefort as compared to his father? The father captured my attention from the beginning itself Even though he is no more than a living corpse he plays such an important part in the story. (hide spoiler)]

[Vân]

I'm finished, too.
@ Rebecca (view spoiler)[ Villefort always blindly follows the rules, to such a point that he no longer cares about his family and that makes him pay the full price. Towards the end of the book I truly feel sorry for him and agree that the Count's revenge has gone too far (hide spoiler)]

[Rebecca]

@ Van (view spoiler)[ I too was repelled by the death of the small boy. That was taking things too far. But the Count too felt the same which makes him a bit human dont you think ? (hide spoiler)]

[Vân]

@Rebecca (view spoiler)[ Actually the Count has changed so much there are no traces of Dantes left in him. His last conversation with Mercedes is quite heart-breaking. I think she and her son don't deserve such punishment. Which do you suppose is better:should or shouldn't the Count and Mercedes be reunited? (hide spoiler)]

[Rebecca]

@Van (view spoiler)[ In the second part it took me a while to get used to the Counts personality. There was nothing left of Dantes in him. But I liked that the Count and Mercedes went their seperate ways. Otherwise it would have been too cliched. (hide spoiler)]