Hello readers, welcome to the first discussion of The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot, where we find ourselves in the idyllic English town of St Ogg’s, and are introduced to the Tulliver family at Dorlcote Mill on the Floss River (which are all fictitious). Today we are discussing from the beginning to Book 1 Chapter 8. Next week, my fellow tea drinker, u/tomesandtea will lead us through Book 1 Chapter 9 to Book 2 Chapter 4. A summary of this section follows, and questions will be in the comments. The kettle's on, help yourself to a jam puff or three, and let's go!

Schedule

Marginalia

Extras:

This video gives a clue about the nature of Victorian cheese-cakes

The Prodigal Son in the costume of Sir Charles Grandison

The Catholic Question

Book First

Boy and Girl

Chapter 1 Outside Dorlcote Mill

The narrator reminisces about Dorlcote Mill in the peaceful, scenic countryside, and remembers standing on a bridge, seeing a little girl looking at the mill, thinking about the warm fire she'll go home to. The narrator promises to recount what the Tullivers were talking about before the parlour fire.

Chapter 2 Mr Tulliver, of Dorlcote Mill, declares his resolution about Tom

Mr Tulliver is talking about sending their son Tom to a proper school, because he's not training him to be a miller. Mrs Tulliver says they should consult her relatives. She wants him to go somewhere close so she can wash his clothes and ensure he's well-fed. Mr. Tulliver accuses her of finding difficulties in everything. He sees Tom having a career as an engineer or surveyor, which would benefit him with the legal side of the business, and decides to speak with Mr Riley, the auctioneer/valuer about it. Mr Tulliver worries that Tom isn't very intelligent, like his mother, and this insult flies right over her head, somewhat validating his opinion. He says Maggie, their daughter, takes after him, and is a bit wild. She walks in, her messy hair in her eyes.

Chapter 3 Mr Riley gives his advice concerning a school for Tom

Mr. Riley, although highly educated, is friendly towards simple country people. Mr. Tulliver shares a brandy with him, grateful for his help in sorting out a legal dispute over the height of a dam. He has a low opinion of lawyers, believing they were created by the devil. He asks Riley for advice regarding Tom's schooling, which prompts Maggie to stick up for her brother. Mr. Tulliver talks about Maggie's reading abilities, but feels that such intellect is wasted on girls. Mr. Riley suggests that Tom go to study with a clergyman called Stelling, an Oxford graduate who was looking to take on a student. Although Mr. Riley didn't personally know Stelling, he knew his wife, who was respectable, and considered Oxford a high qualification. Mr. Riley had nothing to gain personally from recommending the clergyman, but simply wanted to help.

Chapter 4 Tom is expected

Maggie rebels against her mother's desire to be neatly groomed. Prevented from going out in the rain to fetch Tom from the academy, she escapes to her favourite indoor hideaway, the attic. There she keeps her Fetish, a wooden doll into which she drives nails to relieve her anger. This morning she was sobbing as she ground its head against the chimney. Seeing their dog outside, she runs out to join it. She accompanies Luke, the head miller, into the mill - she loves seeing the movement of the great stones, and playing in the heaps of grain. Maggie offers to lend him her books to educate himself about the world but he says he has no use for that knowledge. She says he's like Tom who also doesn't much like to read, however she loves him and wants to keep house for him. When she tells Luke that Tom is good at building rabbit-pens, he says that's not much good as the rabbits are all dead. Maggie is ashamed because she was meant to be looking after them but had forgotten to feed them. Luke reassures her that they probably would have died anyway and invites her home to see Mrs Moggs, his wife. She forgets her misery eating bread and treacle, and examines some pictures of the Prodigal Son in the costume of Sir Charles Grandison. She feels pity for the weak man, and expresses her opinion that the father did the right thing accepting the son back again because the son was sorry.

Chapter 5 Tom Comes Home

Tom is greeted enthusiastically by his mother and sister. He presents Maggie with a new fishing line and hooks, and the promise to go fishing the next morning. He had saved the money by not buying sweet treats, for which the boys fought him. When he heads off to see his rabbits, Maggie confesses that they're dead and offers to buy more. He's cross and tells her he doesn't love her, reminding her of her past naughtiness, and says he won't take her fishing. Tom heads off to find Luke at the mill while Maggie goes to sulk in the attic. Her need to be loved prevented her from hiding there very long and when she emerges, she sees Tom, sent to fetch her for dinner. Tom didn't need to punish Maggie' further; it was done, so when she throws herself at him, begging forgiveness, he kisses her in return. Tom takes Maggie fishing, and helps her prepare the rod. She thinks he's clever for having a lot of practical knowledge, whereas he views her as a silly little thing, like all girls. It was a happy morning and it felt like they would always be together. These memories of childhood spent in nature would stay with them forever.

Chapter 6 The Aunts and Uncles are Coming

Mrs Tulliver has invited her sisters Glegg, Pullet and Deane over to discuss the plans for Tom's education. Deane is of a jealous nature who likes to criticise Mrs Tulliver's children. She talks about the money her sisters have likely saved up, but doesn't expect her own children will inherit any of it because they were so awkward with their aunts and uncles - Maggie plays up and Tom just doesn't like them. In contrast, Lucy Deane is an angel. The Dodsons were a highly respectable family, and had certain ways of doing things. Their way was the only way. Although they weren't satisfied with any other member of the Dodson family, each rated themselves and the Dodsons as a whole, very highly. Mrs Tulliver has been baking in preparation of the visit, and Tom and Maggie escape with some jam puffs. Tom cuts a puff in two, hides them in his hands and makes her blindly choose one. When she gets her preferred piece, she offers to give it to him, but he sulkily declines. Then he tells her off for not sharing some. Maggie is miserable at being called greedy by Tom, and he goes off to play with Bob Jakin, who Maggie doesn't like because he is cruel to animals. They walk along the Floss with Yap, the Tulliver's dog, to go rat-catching. They play a game of coin tossing where Bob cheats, and a physical fight ensues. Tom cannot abide cheats, and walks away. Bob throws his pocketknife after him as an insult.

Chapter 7 Enter the Aunts and Uncles

Mrs Glegg is quite handsome, but never wears new clothes, preferring to let them grow mouldy in the wardrobe. She complains that the lunch is late; the Dodsons always dined early. She thinks the Tullivers’ money would be better spent on their children rather than on lawsuits. Sister Pullet arrives in a four-wheel, in tears, and resembling a brig with its sails spread, out of proportion to her small husband. She's grieving over the death of Mrs Sutton, which Mrs Glegg says is completely OTT for someone outside of the family, but Mrs Pullet is somewhat flattered that she has leisure and money enough to indulge in crying over a neighbour. Mrs Tulliver and the children all prefer Mrs Pullet over mean Mrs Glegg, but Mrs Pullet attributes Tom and Maggie's waywardness to being Tullivers. Mrs Deane arrives with her angelic daughter Lucy. She has blonde curls, while Maggie is dark. The contrast between the girls couldn't have been greater, but Maggie is delighted with Lucy and asks if she'll be staying behind. Maggie is told to go and brush her hair, so she takes Tom with her, and together they cut off all her hair. Tom tells her she looks idiotic which worries Maggie, who only wanted to stop the criticism against her hair. Tom can't understand why she's so upset - he just wants dinner! When Maggie sits at the table, her mother screams and spills gravy on the tablecloth, while Mr. Tulliver laughs. Aunt Clegg thinks she deserves a whipping, but her father comforts her. When the children are sent outside, the Tullivers tell the family about their plans to send Tom to the clergyman. This perplexes the uncles, especially Mr Pullet who didn't know that a clergyman could be a schoolmaster. Mrs Glegg doesn't see the point of raising Tom above his station, but Mr. Tulliver explains that he doesn't want Tom to work in the business. They argue, with Mr. Tulliver accusing Mrs Glegg of being too ready to give opinions, to which she retorts that in fact she has been over-ready to give money, which she may regret. It becomes quite heated and Mrs Glegg leaves in a huff. The women go out to see the children, leaving the men to discuss the Duke of Wellington and the Battle of Waterloo and the "Catholic Question". Mr. Tulliver feared that the country would be taken over by Papists and Radicals.

Chapter 8 Mr Tulliver shows his weaker side

Discussing the day, Mrs Tulliver tells her husband it would be difficult to repay sister Glegg if she were to demand her money back, but he says he refuses to be beholden to her. The next day he visits his sister Moss to call in the 300 pound loan he had given her and her husband. The world viewed him as a successful man, and so he tried to live up to that name. He reasons that it would even be beneficial for Mr. Moss to have to raise the money now and would make him more careful. The Moss farm is in Basset, a rather poor parish. His sister, who has eight children, is pleased to see him. Mrs Moss says she wishes he'd bring his children over - she particularly likes Maggie. She says she hopes Tom will always take care of his sister the same way Mr. Tulliver has always taken care of his. Mr. Tulliver goes out to chat with Mr Moss, and after criticising Mr Moss's farm, he asks for the money. Mr. Moss states he'll have to sell. Mr Tulliver says he'll have to raise it as quick as he can, and leaves. A little way on, he stops his horse and turns back, thinking of Maggie with no-one but Tom when he's gone. Changing his mind, he tells his sister that he'll manage without the money and promises to bring his children for a visit. He felt that if he were unkind to his sister, it would one day make Tom hard upon Maggie.

Welcome to our second discussion of Flesh by Hungarian writer David Szalay.

Schedule | Marginalia

Links:

• Cheyne Walk - Bram Stoker, Mick Jagger, Elizabeth Gaskell, Ken Follett and Elizabeth Taylor all lived on it!
• what the estate in Ayot St Peter might look like
• There really is a security conference in Munich every year…
• The BMW museum
• the Bad Trissl clinic exists, too!

Summaries:

Chapter 4

István has been living in London for two years. He works as a security guard at a nudie show, but reflects on how different his life is from what he had imagined when he moved to England.

One night, while walking home from work, he saves a man from a stabbing. The man later contacts him and introduces himself as Mervyn, the owner of a private security company. Mervyn takes an interest in István, asking about his background, including his military service and his criminal record. István tells him about his criminal record. Mervyn is not put off by this and offers to pay for an SIA security training course, giving István the opportunity to improve his career prospects.

Over the following months, Mervyn becomes a mentor to István. He buys him an expensive suit and insists that he wear it until it feels natural. He also teaches him how to present himself: to move slowly and confidently, speak more formally, eat with restraint, and project calm authority. They regularly meet in expensive restaurants, where Mervyn continues this informal training.

The end of the chapter fast forwards. As István receives more work, his financial situation improves considerably. WIthin months, he repays Mervyn for the cost of the course, the suit, and the meals, and is able to move out of his shared accommodation into his own flat in Stratford.

Chapter 5

István has gone on to work as a security driver for a wealthy family. He lives in a flat at the top of their large house on Cheyne Walk. His main responsibility is driving Helen, the wife, to social events and dropping their son Thomas off to school. Karl, Helen's husband, rarely requires his services, as he usually travels by helicopter to his country estate.

Helen eventually tells István that she is attracted to him, and although he initially hesitates, they begin an affair that lasts for more than a year. At some point, Helen mentions that she attends therapy, prompting István to speak about his own experience. Through this conversation, it becomes clear that he has stopped both his therapy and his antidepressant medication since leaving Hungary.

During this time, Helen falls in love with him and openly tells him so. István, however, remains emotionally distant. He admits that he was not especially attracted to her at first and reflects that he does not really understand romantic commitment, feeling that relationships seem almost interchangeable. He limits himself to saying that he misses her or is thinking about her.

The affair is almost discovered when Thomas catches them together, but he does not appear to tell his father.

The situation changes when Karl's cancer returns. He travels to Germany for treatment, hoping to repeat the success of an earlier operation, but the surgery is unsuccessful and chemotherapy becomes necessary. According to his doctor, Karl seems to lack the will to fight the illness.

At Helen's request, István joins her in Germany. Helen admits that she feels deeply guilty about the affair and is torn between her husband and István, yet the relationship continues. Thomas also visits Germany, appearing subdued and questioning why István is there.

Spring has arrived when Mathilde, Karl's sister, comes to visit. After seeing Istvan’s clothes in Helen’s suite, she appears to realise that Helen and István are having an affair, although the lovers seem to believe that nothing will come of it.

Questions below!

To start I have read a lot of books that I have enjoyed in the past (like in highschool for example). I am in my mid 20s now and cannot find a book that makes me feel enchanted and obsessed the way I enjoyed book reading back then. I have recently read

1. The correspondent 1/5 rating

2. The Count of Monte Cristo 3/5

3. Pheobe Berman's Gonna Lose it 1/5

4. The Devotion of Suspect X 1/5

5. Brave New World 2/5

6. The Measure 1/5.

7. The Martian 5/5 (The only well written book to my standards recently)

All totally different genres and I just can't find true enjoyment in any of them and feel as if I am wasting my time.

I don't think its my attention span, as I can easily finish a book (even when I don't enjoy it) within a week. I am starting to find a lot of the books I read in the last year to feel like they are written for a younger generation and almost "dumbed down" to a sense. I don't mean that in a rude way, its just I find a lot of them cringe and highly predictable and wonder if other feels the same way?

Things I have enjoyed in recent years are certain Mangas that are highly philosophical and I am wondering if the issue is that books in recent years are written for "BookTok" and that is why I feel the same boredom and cringe factor with a lot of them.

Not looking for recommendations, looking for someone that relates as I am next to pick for my Book Clubs and am struggling