Reading: Shirley (a dialogue)
Mike: FINALLY.
Zach: What?
Mike: We have achieved Shirley.
Zach: Finally. What's she like?
Mike: So far? Kinda bitchy.
Of course, I've changed my mind a little bit about her now -- and the novel itself. But seriously: 168 pages before the titular character makes an appearance. Mostly, I'm just relieved that she exists.
Mr Helstone and Caroline pay a visit to Shirley, who is apparently Mr Moore's landlord now. She's spritely and energetic, sure. But then, she also spends something like 10 minutes talking about Caroline to Caroline's uncle -- while Caroline is sitting right there. And it's not necessarily kind things either, like how great she looks in a bustle or how hard she's rocking the petticoats. No, Shirley talks to Mr Helstone about how ill Caroline looks. Guys? Caroline's depressed, not deaf.
Caroline's depressed because Mr Moore has made it clear that Caroline won't be changing her last name to Moore any time soon. However, it's looking now like Shirley might be macking on Mr Moore herself. For instance, just now? Shirley received a secret note from Mr Moore. While Caroline was in the room.
That's all I'm saying.
The arrival of Shirley and the novel's concentration on the relationships between Caroline and Mr Moore (and Caroline and Shirley and Shirley and Mr Moore and Shirley and Mr Helstone and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice and Shirley)has really given a narrative jolt to the story. I feel a deeper sense of engagement with the text than I did when it was just a lot of whining about mill frames and economic ruin. Also, Charlotte Brontë does a fantastic job of selling repressed unrequited love.
I have to get back to the novel now. Shirley and Mr Moore have just been espied by Caroline as they take a secret walk in the woods in the garden at night. Hi, Shirley: You're a whore.
Zach: What?
Mike: We have achieved Shirley.
Zach: Finally. What's she like?
Mike: So far? Kinda bitchy.
Of course, I've changed my mind a little bit about her now -- and the novel itself. But seriously: 168 pages before the titular character makes an appearance. Mostly, I'm just relieved that she exists.
Mr Helstone and Caroline pay a visit to Shirley, who is apparently Mr Moore's landlord now. She's spritely and energetic, sure. But then, she also spends something like 10 minutes talking about Caroline to Caroline's uncle -- while Caroline is sitting right there. And it's not necessarily kind things either, like how great she looks in a bustle or how hard she's rocking the petticoats. No, Shirley talks to Mr Helstone about how ill Caroline looks. Guys? Caroline's depressed, not deaf.
Caroline's depressed because Mr Moore has made it clear that Caroline won't be changing her last name to Moore any time soon. However, it's looking now like Shirley might be macking on Mr Moore herself. For instance, just now? Shirley received a secret note from Mr Moore. While Caroline was in the room.
That's all I'm saying.
The arrival of Shirley and the novel's concentration on the relationships between Caroline and Mr Moore (and Caroline and Shirley and Shirley and Mr Moore and Shirley and Mr Helstone and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice and Shirley)has really given a narrative jolt to the story. I feel a deeper sense of engagement with the text than I did when it was just a lot of whining about mill frames and economic ruin. Also, Charlotte Brontë does a fantastic job of selling repressed unrequited love.
I have to get back to the novel now. Shirley and Mr Moore have just been espied by Caroline as they take a secret walk in the woods in the garden at night. Hi, Shirley: You're a whore.
posted by Mike at 6:03 PM
2 Comments:
Aw, poor Shirley. You know she's loosely based on Emily Brontë's character - how she would have been had she been rich.
Also, yesterday night I was reading how Charlotte wanted to call the book Hollow's Mill, but her editors didn't like it and she suggested either Fieldhead or Shirley (because she was the most remarkable character). Her editors, as you know, chose Shirley. So blame them :P
First off, I'm honored that you'd stop by. Folks: you really should be checking out The Bronte Blog (click on cristina's name for the link; I can't get Blogger to cooperate with my mad computer skillz) pretty regularly.
I haven't had a chance to update where I am in the book (there was just some sort of dance off between the rectors and the Baptists) because I can't figure out how to finish my essay on the Food Network. I should probably just pan the Food Network bit and go back to writing about Shirley which is now my second favorite Charlotte Bronte novel after Villette.
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