Victorians! discussion

For those who have advanced farther ahead into the reading I will start putting up more sections for the book so you can start discussing and posting your thoughts.

I was totally surprised to discover that Mr. Franklin took the diamond well under the influence of opium. At first when his nightgown was found with the stain I thought somebody had dressed up as him and took the diamond somehow.

I wonder what he ended up doing with the diamond after he unknowingly stole it, and just how Mr. Lurker is going to fit into things. If someone else discovered Franklin's hiding place for the diamond and took it.

Also I find the character of Ezra Jennings to be an interesting contrast to Mr. Godfrey. For in the case of Godfrey he everyone who knew him thought he was such a genteleman both becasue of his deeds as well as becasue he gave off a pleasant appearance. As well one cannot ignore what is implied in his name "God"frey" making him seem like a true Christian, but it is discovered that in fact it was all a deception and he is not who he appeared to be.

On the other hand with Ezra Jennings, no one likes him and they are put off by the way he looks and I think it is Betteredge who says that even his name is unpleasent, and he has this unknown ominous past in which his repetition is smeared. Yet so far in his interactions with Blake he appears to be truly a gentleman and an honorable person.

Silver wrote: "I was totally surprised to discover that Mr. Franklin took the diamond well under the influence of opium. At first when his nightgown was found with the stain I thought somebody had dressed up as h..."

Good point, Silver!

Ezra Jennings at first appears to be a reliable narrator in the fact that he is a medical man which gives him creditability for thinking logically, being scientific in his approach to things and being able to view things from an objective stand point. In addition to the fact that he is not personally involved in the case of the missing diamond and does not have an emotional attachment to the people involved.

As well he gives a very matter of fact, forthright narrative of events. He does not get caught up in his personal feelings and looks at the case from the perspective of his profession.

What effect does his own frequent use of opium have on his reliability as a narrator?