1. Would you say that the Honeychurch family is a happy one, given what we learn in this chapter?
2. Lucy agrees to marry Cecil Vyse. What do you think of him?
3. In working out the meanings of this particular text--this novel--why might it be imporetant to decide how we like a given character, such as Cecil Vyse?
4. Has Lucy's kite string broken (cf. Mr. Beebe's description of Lucy as the kite, Charlotte Barlett as the person holding the kite). Mr. Beebe says that the string had not broken while Lucy was in Florence. Has it now?
5. Knowing Lucy as we do, why would she accept Cecil as a suitor?
I would like to hybrid questions four and five:
ReplyDeleteThe kite string includes all of the things Lucy does and or Charlotte does that strengthen their relationship, thus causing a dependancy. In this case, Charlotte is withholding Lucy's independence, but it can also be argued both ways. However, though I think that Charlotte no longer holds Lucy's ribbon however, evidence does suggest at times that Lucy continues to act the same way she would as if Charlotte still held her string. For example, when Lucy, Mr. Eager, and Charlotte where discussing the criminal history of the Emerson's, she stood back from defending them and falsely claimed that the Emerson's "mean nothing to me [her]". Lucy did this because she didn't want to make Charlotte feel disappointed in her. Lucy continues to do this when she accepts her suitor. This acceptance simultaneously describes the reasoning for her acceptance and but is an example of Lucy's consistent need to please others around her occurring even after the clear separation between Charlotte and Lucy happened.
Lucy agrees to marry Cecil. He seems perfectly adequate to me, but a bit of an intellectual and spiritual bore. Lucy seems to be settling into convention by marrying Cecil, and I can't say that I approve. Cecil has done nothing wrong, and perhaps I am being to hard on him, but from what I can discern, he is no comparison to George Emerson. George was controversial, but captivating. He was interesting to Lucy (and to me). Cecil is not interesting. He is plain, polite, courteous, and acceptable. He doesn't rock the boat in any way. Lucy was on the verge of becoming a new and freer spirit with George, with Cecil, Lucy will remain only free while playing the piano.
ReplyDeleteI think that question three is interesting. It is definitely necessary that readers form their own opinions about Cecil Vyse. This story demands it in fact. A huge aspect of this novel is social class, but also conventionality. Cecil could represent conventionality, because he is an acceptable candidate for Lucy to marry, whereas George is not. I personally do not like Cecil, and think that Lucy should marry or at least be with george Emerson. But whether this is because I like George Emerson, or just like that he represents going against what is acceptable, I do not know.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Lucy's kite string has not yet broken. Cecil announces that the "string" is broken because of the engagement, but i think that instead the string has just been handed over from Charlotte to Cecil. Mr. Beebe says that Lucy is like a kite still being held down to earth, who will soon find herself and begin to fly. Though engaged, Lucy seems unwilling to relinquish her freedom. Even as Cecil comes inside with the news of their engagement, she remains outside, her hovering state showing that she can not yet follow her impulses-something still keeps her tied down. I think that Lucy still has a longing to be with someone more interesting than Cecil, such as George. However, Cecil asked her to marry him twice and Italy, and though Lucy doesn't really appear to "love" him there is really nothing that she can say that is wrong with him. This makes me think that Lucy is still tied down and attached and she has not yet broken free from society and class, learning to embrace herself as an individual.
ReplyDeleteGiven what we know about Lucy's character, I think she would accept Cecil as a suitor, because she is very aware that her mother fully approves of Cecil. Lucy's mother mentions why she likes Cecil,"'I know his mother; he's good, he's clever, he's rich, he's well connected...And he has beautiful manners'"(pg.347). I don't think that Lucy's character has "broken-off" from Miss Bartlett, and Mrs.Honeychurch, as much as is mentioned in this chapter. I do believe she is making more of her own decisions for her life, and she does have more control, but not very much. She seemed to come out of her shell in Italy, but now she seems to have degressed to her old ways. She is listening to her mom, and putting other people's thoughts before her own. I think she likes Cecil, but she doesn't seem certain that she loves him. For example, Mrs.Honeychurch mentions in the letter to Cecil's mom that Lucy seems "uncertain" about the acceptance. I think Lucy hesitated because secretly she is having doubts about Cecil, and their possible marriage. However, I think Lucy accepted Cecil's proposal quicker than expected because her mom was sure that she wanted Lucy to marry a man with such a nice background, who comes from a higher-class, and well-to-do upbringing. I think Lucy still follows her mother's wishes too much. She never seems to take her own emotions and desires into much consideration. Lucy is with Cecil so hastily, in order to be a "good girl," and follow her mother's wishes, regardless if she actually loves Cecil enough to marry him.
ReplyDeleteLucy is constantly searching for the approval of those around her. She is a bright, talented, independent girl, and yet she follows her orders and makes her decisions based on the opinions of others. I do not believe that Lucy truly loves or wants to be with Cecil. I think she agreed to the engagement because she knew that her mother would be happy, and that Cecil was an appropriate match for her. Lucy needs to learn how to follow her heart. This is something that Mr.Beebe sees in her. I think that Mr.Beebe wants to believe that Lucy will be different than the scads of other women he has seen throughout his life who never amount to anything because they spend their time pleasing others.
ReplyDeleteCecil is not a bad person in the least. He is not right for Lucy, however, because I don't think he sees the independent woman that she is. Cecil wants to marry the Lucy that accepted his proposal, but the real Lucy would make a different decision that would be based on love.
Something is still tying Lucy to the ground. She is not flying in the air yet. She remains bound by an obstacle- possibly George, or the fact that she makes impulsive decisions before she can really think about them. (Such as when she kissed George and her engagement to Cecil). I feel that Cecil is a good man, but it is hypocritical of Lucy to marry- since she disagrees with women's roles to inspire others and not achieve themselves. It doesn't make any sense for her to marry because it is not what she truly desires. She wants to be free and do things herself. Although she wants to experience love and greater things in life than social status events/ parties, she marries Cecil. I think this was rather impulsive of Lucy, but i understand her motives because she wants love in her life and the experience of not just delicacy but of true beauty too! She is tired of being delicate and careful of covering up her feelings. She wants to be bold and experience life to the fullest.
ReplyDeleteKnowing Lucy as we do, i don't find it surprising that she chose Cecil as her husband. Cecil is the proper choice, one she can feel safe socially with. Cecil is the perfect husband to add to her picturesque life. He is rich, connected, and physically appropriate. Her world affirms him to her, while her heart disagrees (as deduced by periodic declines of his marriage proposals) but as we have seen from her scandalous escapades with George Emerson and her reactions, the heart is not what drives miss lucy's doings.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I do not like Cecil Vyse at all. I especially do not like the thought of Cecil marrying Lucy. He is described as "medieval", and compared to a statue. I agree with this comparison - he appears very stiff and humorless, unlike Lucy. Though Cecil is from a higher class than Lucy's family, this would most likely make him even more stuffy and overconfident than Ms. Bartlett was. Cecil seems to frown upon many of the family's ways, including their saving the furniture from damage by sunlight, because he is of a higher class. He also thinks he can improve upon their home, and introduce Lucy to a different way of living. Lucy is perfectly happy in her Honeychurch way of life. She had been learning how to think for herself during her trip in Italy, and it seems as though from Ms. Bartlett to Cecil, she will never be able to make her own decisions and feel her own pure emotions. Lucy also cares greatly about beauty in nature and art, while Cecil does not seem to care about any form of it.
ReplyDelete