Victorians! discussion
Buddy Reads
>
Wives & Daughters, Ch. 14-18
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
SarahC
(new)
Mar 04, 2011 06:27PM
Post your comments for this section of the book. Spoilers for this section of the reading may appear here.
reply
|
flag
*
I am enjoying the flow of the book. I don't know why Mrs. Kirkpatrick was known as Clare, and then she never used her formal name as Hyacinth Clare. Anyway, I see a battle of wills ahead in the ensuing chapters between Molly and Mrs. Kirkpatrick.
She was referred to as only Clare [her last name] by the Cumnor family in the old days, as a servant would have been, I believe. She is resentful when this family uses that name now because Hyacinth likes to feel she has gained rank and distinction now.
She also feels that she should be spending more time with Lord Cumnor and his family. She seems to find it strange that Molly has an acquaintance with Lady Harriet. and she states that she has known them for eighteen years, and Molly has just met her. Snobbery on Hyacinth's part.
Considering that Hyacinth has spent much of her life as a struggling governess unable to keep a place in a house and with a failing school that was loosing more money than it was making, her snobbery is a bit amusing and ironic, since it is not as if she had come from any great wealth but she is accustomed to being in the company of such people that she has these ambitions of herself as being some great lady. I was amusing her reaction to hearing about Molly's acquaintance with Lady Harriet and the episode of the Miss Browning's.
It is going to be quite interesting to see what happens when Cynthia finally arrives, I cannot imagine just how Molly and Cynthia will take to each other, but some how I doubt they will become great friends.
I did enjoy this section as Hyacinth starts to wage a type of "mom war" with Molly. My, my, she does want her way with everything doesn't she? Looking at all the interactions, that are going on, the only one I see as adversarial is that between Molly and her new mother. It will be quite something to see if there are any "fireworks" soon to be gong on with Cynthia as well.
I would like to see the girls team up against Hyacinth, but I guess that will not happen or will it? :)
In my mind I picture Cynthia being like a younger version of Hyacinth, though I cannot imagine Molly and Cynthia having much in common. But I could see Cynthia butting heads against her mother and I cannot imagine they have a very close relationship. But honestly if I was Cynthia, I think Molly would drive me up the wall. In some ways I can sympathize with her, but the crying every five seconds would be infuriating.
She is way tooo over dramatic. While I may not agree with some of the things which Hyacinth is doing or the way she is acting, and she may not be sensitive to Molly's feelings, it is not as if anything that horrible and tragic has really happened to Molly.
Well, nothing tragic, but having your mother die at a young age, I think counts as tragic. She needs someone more maternal than Hyacinth. Hyacinth is concerned about Cynthia and she just gives Molly the least amount of attention. Cynthia seems to resemble Hyacinth in some of her actions, she doesn't realize that she has a hold over men, by being overly attentive to whatever the men are talking about. She has an openness about her, that the men are finding intriguing.
When I meant that statement I meant in regards to her father marrying another woman is not a tragic event, and while Hyacinth is not the most nourishing or sympathetic, nothing she has done to Molly has been that horrible. A part of life is that things won't always stay exactly the same as when you are a child and some of the changes one has to deal with are not always ideal, but in regards to the marriage of Dr. Gibson and Hyacinth it is not as if Molly is really suffering any great tragedy. It is just a part of growing up.
Yes, sometimes having a stepparent is a godsend to some people. But I suppose Molly will have a friend and confidante in Cynthia, when Cynthia isn't gaining all the attention from unsuspecting men.
Silver wrote: "When I meant that statement I meant in regards to her father marrying another woman is not a tragic event, and while Hyacinth is not the most nourishing or sympathetic, nothing she has done to Moll..."I think many people would disagree with you that coping with a step parent or a significant addition to a family is part of growing up. Really they are distinctly separate. But if it does happen to be a part of a person's experience while growing up, it causes amazing stress. Family counselors usually advise that there are typical psychological issues associated with accepting a new parent. So Molly has suffered from death of her mother AND the acceptance of a stepmother.
And the whole "call me Momma" thing was too much. That goes right against psychological loyalty to the dead parent. Probably why it is no longer typical in the modern world.
We all approach these characters in different ways, but I wouldn't agree that Molly is crying too much over the changes in her life.
I think Molly is pretty level headed. It seems that Cynthia has missed out on her mother, being sent away while her mother was governess to Lord Cumnors child, Lady Harriet. So I see Cynthia wanting more of her mother than Molly. But, Molly again does need guidance. Calling her Momma is not right. she should be called something not so endearing. In a way her stepmother is replacing her biological mother, but in no way can totally replace her entirely.
Robin wrote: "I am enjoying the flow of the book. I don't know why Mrs. Kirkpatrick was known as Clare, and then she never used her formal name as Hyacinth Clare. Anyway, I see a battle of wills ahead in the e..."Clare was most likely her maiden name. When a woman married, they turned their maiden name into their middle name. She was a governess, a cut about servant, and servants were always referred to by their last name.
SarahC wrote: "Silver wrote: "When I meant that statement I meant in regards to her father marrying another woman is not a tragic event, and while Hyacinth is not the most nourishing or sympathetic, nothing she h..."I have to agree with Sarah. I am a stepmom, and even though I came into the "kids" lives when they were adults and I let them determine what the relationship would be, I have one that will never accept the fact that I exist.
Cynthia is the one making me crazy. She is so manipulative of the men. I realize this is how women then (and some now) got what they wanted/needed from men. I guess I'm more like Molly - honest and sensitive. Cynthia may not have had any other examples except manipulative but it still makes me crazy.
Cynthia is the one making me crazy. She is so manipulative of the men. I realize this is how women then (and some now) got what they wanted/needed from men. I guess I'm more like Molly ..."I really do not see Cynthia, thus far in the book as being manipulative. She is charming, and perhaps flirtatious, but I don't really see her acting in a way that is intentionally deceptive. Rather I see the men being enthralled with her becasue she is new, living in a small town, they are used to the women there, and there are not many young girls around. So Cynthia is someone new and fresh and beautiful.
Yes and she also does cast some magic spell on them. By listening and hanging onto their every word she does give the men the attention they need. I feel that Mrs. Gibson is the most manipulative, and always looking out for Cynthia's best interests and also Molly's.
The reason why I see Cynthia as manipulative is the author indicates that she is one type of woman with one man (what she deems he would be attracted to), and another type of woman with another man. She appears, to me, to be doing this purposely. That to me is beyond charming which I view as being personable and warm. Her changing her personality to gain the love/admiration/attention of the gentleman in question is manipulative. Also she has some kind of secret that we have yet to discover. At least that's the impression I get with Mr. Preston.
