Reading the Chunksters discussion

This section covers chapters 5 to 8 of Book Four. Plenty to discuss in this part!

Plot summaries:
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5. Wilfer returns home to his wife and Lavvy’s announcement of the letter and its contents, to which he has to act surprised. Mrs Wilfer is disappointed and outraged, saying Bella has married a mendicant. Lavinia eventually persuades her that the couple should still be welcome in the house. Later the couple visit, and Bella manages to control the conversation. After they have left, John asks Bella if she still wants to be richer, which Bella denies. He goes to work, in “a China house” in the city. RW comes to visit and Bella calls him a good boy (echoes of Jenny and her father). She washes him and brushes his hair. Bella decides to write to Lizzie, and having done this she gives John a lecture on her aspirations, and tells him she is pregnant.

6. There is a fair in the village. Wrayburn walks out to meet Lizzie. She asks him to let her go, as their stations are too different and her reputation is at stake. Wrayburn manages to get her to tell him her real feelings for him. He lets her go and considers his situation, thinking about how he might present Lizzie to his father MRF. Near his lodgings he is attacked by a bargeman in a red neckerchief. Lizzie hears the commotion and the splash of a body falling into the river, and runs to the scene. She finds a rowing boat and takes it out onto the river, eventually finding the body, getting it into the boat and rowing ashore, where she patches some of the wounds with strips from her dress. She then rows him to the inn, where a doctor is called. Lizzie loses consciousness and the doctor attends to her too.

7. Headstone returns to the lock to find the cottage bolted. Riderhood lets him in, saying he should sleep. Riderhood sees his condition and deduces what has happened, and also sees that he is now wearing a red neckerchief. When he wakes they share a meal. Headstone cuts his hand and spills blood on Riderhood’s clothing. Riderhood relays what he has heard from bargemen, that it was Lizzie who picked up the body. In the evening Headstone departs, and Riderhood trails him. Headstone heads into a lane, undresses and bathes, then changes into his normal clothes and ties the bargeman outfit into a bundle and throws it in the river. Riderhood decides not to follow further, but to “go fishing” instead. Headstone returns to the school. Charley, now a teacher at another school, comes to see him. He brings news of the attack on Wrayburn and questions Headstone about where he was, and says he wants nothing more to do with him, saying his own prospects have been threatened. The next morning Riderhood returns to the river and finds the bundle.

8. Jenny has stopped getting her scraps from Riah after observing his treatment of Twemlow. Fledgeby comes to see her. He talks about Riah and tries to get her to tell him more about Lizzie. She arranges to see him the next day. After some thought she decides to go, but finds a lady waiting outside, who tells her not to enter until a gentleman has finished their meeting. She hears noises, and Mr Lammle emerges, telling his wife he has done his business with Fledgeby and is ready to head for Europe, leaving a cane broken into three pieces. Jenny goes in, finding Fledgeby badly beaten, she gives him water and agrees to bandage him with vinegar and brown paper, to which she decides to add pepper. She leaves.
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Yes, the pace has picked up and stories are being resolved. Although we learned of the Lammle's leaving for mainland Europe in the last section, which I thought ended their story, Chapter 8's peek at what they accomplished prior to leaving for the European mainland should bring closure to their side story. This is good as the attention should be on the major plot issues.
The main issue is who will end up with the estate between Harmon, The Boffins, The Wegg Group or the public. Also, this story has been considered by some sources as a tale with 2 heroes, the primary one in Harmon and the secondary one in Wrayburn.
Yet, I find myself being most concerned with the fate of the two heroines, Bella and Lizzie. The estate story is of great concern since it will settle how Bella will live while Wrayburn's fate is important as it affects the status of Lizzie. This concern is due to Victorian women's inability to control their lives. Harmon can make a living without an estate, as will Wrayburn with his law practice. As common in Victorian era stories, the future of the women, Bella and Lizzie, rest on their abilities to make a good marriage.

I was surprised to see the Lammles pop up again as well. I thought the text said something along the lines of “that was the last we saw of the Lammles”, but maybe it meant in reference to the Boffins’ last time seeing them.

Anyway, I enjoyed seeing them give it to Fledgeby on their way out, and I did a whole lot of smirking when Jenny Wren got in there after them and gave him a ground pepper treatment. Too funny.

It’s interesting that you point out this being a tale of two heroes, Brian, because my thinking is along the same lines as yours. I’m more worried about Bella and Lizzie’s outcomes over Harmon and Wrayburn. I mean, I am quite curious what will happen to the estate, but like you said, Harmon “Rokesmith” can take care of himself. And truthfully, it’s taken me quite a bit to come around to liking Wrayburn at all. I didn’t like him from the beginning, and am only now seeing that he must really care for Lizzie even though her station is beneath him. And well, now given what’s happened, I feel bad for him!

Well this was an eventful section! So pleased to see Fledgby get his just desserts.

I would also agree that it is the women of the novel that I am most invested in. Not just Lizzie and Bella but also Jenny Wren. Every time she is on page she's a delight!