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Archived Group Reads 2013
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Can You Forgive Her Chapters XXXIV - End of Volume I
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Marialyce
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Nov 25, 2013 10:34AM
To discuss these chapters
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Chapter 34. Mr. Vavasor speaks to his Daughter
Chapter 35. Passion versus Prudence
Chapter 36. John Grey goes a Second Time to London
Chapter 37. Mr Tombe's Advice
Chapter 38. The Inn at Shap
Chapter 39. Mr. Cheesacre's Hospitality
Chapter 40. Mrs. Greenow's Little Dinner in the Close
With very few exceptions, I love this book. Especially now, I'm riding home on the train trying to hide my huge grin at reading Mr. Cheesacre and Capt. Bellfield's tiff. Hilarious stuff.
I don't get it. What exactly is the Alice's great sin against womankind? When we get to part where the author talks about forgiving her, I'm lost. This must be something the Victorian readers would have understood, but I'm not quite certain what is being pinpointed as her egregious sin.
Trudy wrote: "I don't get it. What exactly is the Alice's great sin against womankind? When we get to part where the author talks about forgiving her, I'm lost. This must be something the Victorian readers would..."Trudy -- I certainly wouldn't label for what Alice needs to be forgiven a "sin", but it was considered unconscionable to back out of a marriage commitment, and Alice seems to have done this not just once, but probably three times by the finish of our story. This review, while full of spoilers, does pretty well lay out the Victorian attitudes:
http://inverarity.livejournal.com/991...
I think it is interesting to our day and age to ask what is the significance of giving one's word? It seems to me we are much more flexible in giving credence and consideration to information and events that may not have been known or recognized at the point of initial commitment or at least affirmation. But I am not sure that attitude is at all consistent among all individuals or groups of people. Certainly often value exists in being able to keep one's word across time and circumstances.

