Reading the Chunksters discussion

This penultimate section covers chapters 9 to 12 of Book 4. Plenty more interesting plot developments - my summaries continued to get longer and longer!

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9. Jenny goes to see Riah, and tells him about Fledgeby’s flogging. She gets him to admit that Fledgeby is his master, and apologies for his behaviour, telling her how difficult it is to be seen as a good Jew. He explains that his service to Fledgeby expires the next day. A scrawled note from Fledgeby arrives asking him to leave the building immediately. Jenny asks him where he will go, he suggests the mill where he sent Lizzie, but Jenny invites him to stay with her. Her father goes out in search of water, and is pelted and covered in water, before heading in search of Wrayburn, finding only Bright, who gives him money for a coach home. He spends this on drink and returns, Bright summons the police and they put him on a stretcher. Jenny and Riah arrive, and Riah sees that the man is dying. The give Mr Dolls a basic funeral, which inspires Jenny to make a clergyman dolls’ outfit. Lightwood arrives at the house with a letter from Lizzie to Jenny, asking her to come to Wrayburn’s deathbed. She goes with Lightwood leaving Riah alone in the house.

10. At Wrayburn’s bedside, he revives enough to tell Lightwood not to pursue Headstone, as this will reflect badly on Lizzie. Jenny helps tend the patient and learns to interpret for him. She realises that he wants to marry Lizzie before he dies.

11. Bella is at home doing needlework. Lightwood arrives with a message asking Rokesmith to attend Wrayburn’s wedding. John returns but refuses to see Lightwood. Bella agrees to go instead, telling Lightwood that Rokesmith has a facial swelling and needs to rest. Lightwood and Bella head for the station, where they are eventually joined by the Milveys, who have been delayed by a persistent parishioner. Headstone observes them at the station, and Milvey talks to him. On telling him Lizzie is to be married he has a fit, they see that he is attended to and catch the train. Bella thinks about why her husband still hides from Lightwood. They arrive at Wrayburn’s bedside, and when he wakes the marriage is conducted. Wrayburn manages to talk to Lizzie, and tells her that he deserves to die.

12. Bella’s baby has been born, a baby Bella. Bella questions her husband on what is troubling him. She meets him in the city, where they meet Lightwood in the street. Rokesmith tells Bella they have met before, and explains that at the time he was Julius Handford, the man Lightwood is searching for in connection with the Harmon murder, which is why he didn’t want Handford to be found. Lightwood tells him his professional duty demands an explanation, to which Rokesmith/Handford agrees, telling Lightwood he will be at home the next morning. At home he tells Bella that he is suspected of the murder. The next day a police Inspector calls, and asks “Handford” to come with him and explain himself. He talks to the Inspector alone for half an hour. He tells Bella that they are going out to show the Inspector, and the three head for the river, where they go to the police station and then Miss Potterson’s pub, where they sit in the Cosy. The inspector introduces Job Potterson, a seafaring man and Jacob Kibble, a gentleman, and asks the two men about their voyage. Potterson is a ship’s steward and Abbey’s brother. John is shown to them and Kibble collapses, telling Potterson to look. John’s story is vindicated. The next day he tells Bella that his job in the China house is over, that his situation has changed for the better and he wants to show her their new house. He takes her to the Boffins, where the smiling Boffins say they saw her married.

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Normally. the chapters in each discussion section have gone from one scene to another scene with completely different characters. This section is the first time that the 4 chapters flowed together so well. Lightwood even appears in each chapter, serving somwhat as a connection.
I didn't think the inevitable Rokesmith/Handford/Harmon reveal would be done so cryptically rather than with some grand scene. Much has occurred offstage at this time and with secondary characters. I should have realized how Dickens would present it, though, as Dickens seems to describe many situations more cryptically in this book than in his others I've read.
(As I've noted before, my failure to always properly decipher Dickens wording has sometimes caused my failure to visualize what has actually happened until either Hugh's summary or a fellow reader's commentary reveals it.)

I was disappointed in the reveal chapter and that we will retroactively find out what happened. I was hoping for an action scene of some sort involving Wegg and Venus, Boffin, and Rokesmith.

Brian - I've also found myself not fully understanding what has happened in particular scenes until I've read Hugh's summaries.

Also, I'm confused as to why Wrayburn doesn't want his attacker pursued? He says it's because it will reflect poorly on Lizzie, but wouldn't he want Headstone revealed as a horrible person so that Lizzie could make sure she fully severed ties with him?

I suspect that it helps to be British when deciphering Dickens' terminology.

Those plot summaries were almost word for word neat copies of the notes I made while reading, and I did find myself writing quite a lot down just in case its significance became clearer to me later. I did revisit the first Veneering chapter after finishing because so many people were introduced, and some gained more significance later.

As a first time Dickens reader, I also found it interesting that even this late in the plot and after many of the key revelations, there are so many unresolved questions, though I am pretty sure Dickens knew how he was going to resolve most of them!

Linda wrote: "Also, I'm confused as to why Wrayburn doesn't want his attacker pursued? He says it's because it will reflect poorly on Lizzie, but wouldn't he want Headstone revealed as a horrible person so that Lizzie could make sure she fully severed ties with him?"
My reading of that is that because his death is imminent, he fears divine judgment and wants to do the Christian thing, but I am sure there are other possibilities.

I've read many Dickens books and other British novels. It's been awhile, though, so I may be out of habit. Plus, I found myself rushing through some of the chapters more quickly than I normally would read so I probably glossed over some details. In any case, I've been grateful for Hugh's summaries.

I'm not surprised by the number of loose threads at this late stage. Dickens also seems to like to throw in more coincidences than I find would be normal in order to tie things up, at least in my opinion. Anyway, I'm curious to see how everything has come about.

Linda wrote: I'm confused as to why Wrayburn doesn't want his attacker pursued? He says it's because it will reflect poorly on Lizzie, but wouldn't he want Headstone revealed as a horrible person so that Lizzie could make sure she fully severed ties with him?

I understood this as him feeling that if a trial occurred, Headstone's defense would likely portray Lizzie as having been carrying on with both men at the same time causing Headstone to act violently to defend her honor or something along those lines. Having those accusations against her would be very damaging to Lizzie and certainly destroy any future marriage prospects for her.

I wonder if Wrayburn's family will have to now welcome or support Lizzie as his widow (assuming that he does die) I don't remember much mention of them but the class difference was why he did not pursue her earlier so I imagine their would be pushback.

I am still very confused by the Harmon reveal. I know we still haven't been given all of the information but I don't understand why those two men were the only ones who could verify his identity. I think I might have forgotten some details from earlier in the story where the Pottersons were introduced. I must say though, I loved how the Inspector made a whole drama over it rather than just calling them into the station and asking them to identify him like a normal policeman would! Victorians are so melodramatic.

I'm looking forward to the confrontation with the Boffins in the next section, can't believe we're almost done!

Jess wrote: "I understood this as him feeling that if a trial occurred, Headstone's defense would likely portray Lizzie as having been carrying on with both men at the same time causing Headstone to act violently to defend her honor or something along those lines."

Thank you! That makes sense.

Jess wrote: "I am still very confused by the Harmon reveal. I know we still haven't been given all of the information but I don't understand why those two men were the only ones who could verify his identity."

I was a little confused as well. I'm trying to remember Harmon's backstory and at what age he left home. Maybe these two men are people he knew as a man elsewhere? And he left town early enough that now nobody from home recognizes him anymore?

Rokesmith/Harmon was sent to the colonies as an adolescent, so nobody in London has seen him as an adult. I won't spoil the last part by explaining more at this stage, but the resolution still has a plenty of tricks to reveal.

I am going to open up the final week's discussion early so that it is there for anyone who finishes the book.