Matilde’s Reviews > The Bell > Status Update

“Dora saw it, was paralysed with horror, but could not stop laughing”
I think this describes her very well

Dora is becoming each time an even more interesting character. So is Catherine. And all of them in general.

This was probably one of the best chapters so far. it raised so many moral questions and we finally got to know more about Nick (and Michael) though it raised so many more questions about Nick as well. It got me thinking about good vs evil, religion and love, and even how two things from the same source can be so completely different. Like Nick and Catherine, religion and love, and good and evil

I love how Murdoch slowly introduces the characters and reveals the community and their rules/what they stand for. I think one of the most interesting things so far is how she delays certain details, such as the trouble surrounding Nick.The interruption by the bell when Michael was about to describe Nick can have two different meanings,delaying the reveal of Michael’s feelings and delaying the actual story of Nick

i’m really enjoying iris murdoch’s writing. it’s so clear but beautiful. the way she describes the scenarios and the characters, it’s all very concise but also deeply human. I feel weirdly relaxed reading this book, so far