Wives & Daughters, Ch. 1-5

[SarahC]

Post your comments for this section of the book. Spoilers for this section of the reading may appear here.

[Robin]

I loved the beginning of the story with the characters being introduced. I think I like Molly, she seems a very forthright girl. She has lost her mother and she seems to be very close to her father.

[Silver]

Thus far I am quite enjoying the book, I really like the humur in the writing. Because of the way in which she was raised, Molly to me comes off as seeming a bit immature. When she was first being sent off to the party at the Cumnor's the way she was talked about and how she acted, I had a picture of her in my head of being a young child still, than later it is revealed that she is 17 years old.

I have mixed feelings about Dr. Gibson, though he can be rather amusing at times, and he does care for and love his daughter, it is frustrating to me, how because of his clingy dependence upon her, he attempts to try and keep her in that child-like state. As when he did not want her to have too much education, for fear that she will become too mature if she learns too much. He is keeping her in ignorance to try and preserve her child innocence but by doing so it could hold her back from acutally being able to grow up normally.

[Robin]

Also in sending her away from home, to be "saved" from her admirer. I also see that in the way he tries to keep a handle on her. She was also resistant to her father remarrying again. He wanted to remarry for his daughter's sake and also because the maid quit.

[Deborah]

I've enjoyed the book so far too. The babying of Molly frustrates me some but I'm trying to keep in mind that it's the point Braddon was making. Women were supposed to be beautiful to look at, have a little cultural training (painting, piano, etc.) but no practical knowledge. In addition, women who were widely read were called blue stockings and it was thought that the knowledge would addle their brains.

[Robin]

I guess the father thought he was shielding Molly from the apprentice. I don't recall in the book whether she liked the apprentice. In those days, women were seen as ornamental and to perform for audiences, in singing, piano, harp. Books would have just made the women question why they had to put up with such nonsense.LOL

[Robin]

It also seems funny to me that one of Gaskell's characters is named Eyre and she is a governess, alluding to her Bronte connection.

[Marialyce (absltmom, yaya)]

I also, am enjoying this story so far. It does seem light and airy in a way and the characters all seem quite well introduced and sort of fun. It is just what one would expect to have happen in the countryside in Victorian England.

I do like Molly and her father. What father does not want to keep his daughter childlike and protect her as long as he can? I do like Dr Gibson and do not mind his hovering over Molly. Molly, while childlike even at seventeen seems a wonderful sort of daughter. She is anxious to please her father and loves him dearly.

I love the humor and interactions between the characters. I particularly liked the session between Dr Gibson and Coxe. It was quite funny and reminded me of what young menoften went through in many households as they meet and greet the fathers and families of the girls they date.

[Silver]

Marialyce wrote: "I also, am enjoying this story so far. It does seem light and airy in a way and the characters all seem quite well introduced and sort of fun. It is just what one would expect to have happen in the..."

But part of being a father is also allowing your child to grow up in a natural and healthy way, and not to try and keep them as if they were 6 years old when they are 16 years old.

[Marialyce (absltmom, yaya)]

Silver wrote: "Marialyce wrote: "I also, am enjoying this story so far. It does seem light and airy in a way and the characters all seem quite well introduced and sort of fun. It is just what one would expect to ..."

I think that is the mother of four daughters speaking in me.

I do think that Dr Gibson has things to concern himself with as his daughter matures. He wants to create an idyllic world for his daughter and wants to keep her out of harm's way so to speak. I really do not think his removing her from the house where one young man has already expressed his love, is in any way treating her as a six year old. He loves her and as any good parent, he wants the best for her. Sixteen is very young, in any era, to be left on one's own as Molly often is.

[Robin]

Yes, Marialyce he is being a proper father and wants the best for her. And being that she is motherless, I guess it gets put into his head to marry for a step mother for his daughter.

[toria (vikz writes)]

I have just started the book. I am A little behind schedule I'm afraid. But, I was snowed under by other reading and I was caring for a mother recovering from a knee op. So, time was short. I am really enjoying what I have read so far.

[Robin]

Enjoy your reading Vikz, no hurries. It is an fascinating story. Post when you have the time. Hope your mother is doing well.

[Marialyce (absltmom, yaya)]

It is a great story, Vikz. I am sure you will continue to enjoy it. I hope your mom is healing.

[Deborah]

Vikz - Well worth the read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I couldn't put it down.

[toria (vikz writes)]

Robin wrote: "Enjoy your reading Vikz, no hurries. It is an fascinating story. Post when you have the time. Hope your mother is doing well."

She is thanks, She was discharged from physio last week. I'm really getting into the story and am really enjoying reading the interesting posts. You seem to have had a really interesting discussion.

[toria (vikz writes)]

Silver wrote: "Thus far I am quite enjoying the book, I really like the humur in the writing. Because of the way in which she was raised, Molly to me comes off as seeming a bit immature. When she was first being ..."

While reading, I kept thinking of the discussions in; The Tenant of Wildfell Hall,Peter Pan and even Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest concerning the importance of childhood innocence to the Victorians and their great fear of corrupting that innocence. They seemed to want people to be children all their lives. This, as the main character of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall says was particularly, disproportionately true for girls. Their love of childhood may be linked to the large number of child deaths.

[Robin]

I liked the Importance of Being Earnest, and to some extent Alice in Wonderland, it was a whimsical tale of a young girls tale down the rabbit hole. Maybe she did not want to become an adult and with Lewis Carroll fixation on Alice, maybe he wanted her to remain a child in his mind. Just my guess.

[Ellie]

I'm a little late but I hope I could join the discussion of Wives and Daughters. I just posted in another thread I'd love to join a side read of this book and then immediately after found this *blushes and looks down*

Hi Marialyce & Robin!