POOR MISS FINCH by Wilkie Collins

POOR MISS FINCH by Wilkie Collins

29 May 2011

Mr. Gilfil's Love- Story #3 (chaps 7-13) May 1857

Dear Serial Readers,

First, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR SERIAL READERS! Three years ago this week I launched this adventure with the first novel, DOMBEY & SON. Since then, we've serialized through eight novels and a few stories.

This third of four installments of "Mr Gilfil's Love-Story" showcases the structure of the serial, with the first sentences as a kind of recap from the previous chapter/installment, and the final lines a stab at suspense--is he dead or alive?
Of course, we know the end of the love-story from the start of this narrative, so whether he is dead or alive is only an issue in terms of how the plots works out, not the overall outcome.

I was amused at the rapid switch to present-tenseness for suspense value in the close of this episode with: "See how she rushes noiselessly, like a pale meteor..." But still, I'm rather detached from any gripping engagement with this story.

Next time--the end of "Mr Gilfil's Love-Story" (chaps 14-Epilogue).

Serially celebrating Three,
Susan

6 comments:

Plotaholic said...

I apologize for not weighing in more and sooner: I've been a little stumped for things to say. But I'm definitely drawn to respond to Susan's posting on this installment and to wonder why Eliot bothers to create suspense here when we know the end already. Of course, we don't know *how* Caterina ends up shifting her loyalties from the faithless aristocrat to the upstanding minister, and it seems impossible for her to do so willingly, since her "talent" is to love so fiercely. I've also been wondering why this is called "Mr Gilfil's Love Story" when it's so clearly Caterina's?

cderose said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
cderose said...

Like Susan, I am also interested in the ways that the narrative voice contributes to the suspense at the end of chapter 13. The narrator seems to vacillate between being openly omniscient and being reserved. When Caterina/the reader first stumbles upon Anthony, the narrator explains: "Good God! it is he--lying motionless--his hat fallen off. His is ill, then,--he has fainted" (248). The inclusion of "then" led to me read that line as if it is from Caterina's point of view, as though it is Caterina's initial thoughts as to why Anthony has fallen (the narrator knows for a fact whether he is dead or alive). What is the place of readers in this section? We seem to share some of Caterina's suspense (we don't know fully what has happened), and yet, as Susan and Plotaholic point out, we already know the end result, which might align us more with the narrator. Is the suspense a device to attract readers to the next installment or is there more to it?

Kari said...

I have been reading these stories in a lovely 1907 edition with a large number of glorious photographs by Mr. C. E. (Charles) Wamsley. He took photos of the Lake District and of places mentioned in Eliot's works. I have emailed Susan hoping she can post two of the photos, and perhaps she already has. He used Arbury (name?) manor as the model, and it is quite filled with ornamental gothic details inside, as well as loads of furniture. I chose one photo with little furniture, as I think it was described so similarly to the photo. This same edition, I believe, is on Google books, though mine is quite clearly from 1907, and that is from 1908.
I'm fascinated by the virtually people-free air of verisimilitude these architectural and landscape photos create. Occasionally there are paintings of a couple, including the Bartons and Anthony and Beatrice, but the rooms and landscapes look like vacant sets waiting for the characters to stroll on stage.
I am not so invested in these stories either. I dislike Caterina so far, but I did enjoy her heading out on a mission of murder and then worrying so greatly when she sees him I'll or dead.
Not only does this seem like Caterina's story rather than Mr G's, even when they focus in on him, it hardly seems like a tale of clerical life.

readerann said...

The unpopularity of this work mystifies me a bit. I think Eliot’s portrayal of human nature shows insight and humor, and keeps me reading. I would say it’s written more as a novel than scenes or stories though.

Julia said...

I'm rejoining the discussion after a long absence, and I have to say that it has been a pleasure for me to read this "scene of clerical life" by Eliot for the first time. The suspense is working on me! I realize that Caterina will end up with Gilfil, but because I haven't read this story before I'm very curious to see how this will happen. I forced myself not to cheat by reading ahead and I really did feel like I was forcing myself!

Like others, I agree that the choice to name this "Mr. Gilfil's Love Story" is curious as he's such a peripheral character so far. I also noticed the interesting change of tense in this chapter. It struck me as very Dickensian!

Kari, I'd love to see the photographs that you describe in your post. I can picture the big empty rooms already.