Mill on the Floss

Yesterday in the Grocery store, the boring music playing over the loudspeaker suddenly changed to DANCING QUEEN by Abba. My 6 yr old little girl immediately started to dance around and sing along. Ofcourse she doesn't really know most of the words, but why should that stop her?

If only I could embrace my life with such fervor and abandon every day. What stops me from such great fun and enjoyment of every minute??
What would Maggie Tulliver do in such a situaiton?


I just finished The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot a.k.a. Maryann Evans

There is a lot about life in this book. At first glance I assumed that the sudden young death of Maggie and her brother was just an easy way for the author to resolve a very difficult impasse- Maggie is in the middle of a love and duty and commitment triangle. As I think about it more- and there is a lot to think about because it is a great book- I believe the entire plot to be a carefully crafted allegory of love, justice, and the grace of God.

Maggie represents love, or mercy. Her great shortcoming is that she is impulsive. She spends a great deal of the book improving herself by avoiding pleasures because she "loves them too much" all of this self denial is an effort to be a better person. Her friends, especially Phillip, encourage her to stop denying herself of all pleasure, telling her that it is not good. She promises to love Phillip, though he is really just a friend because she does not want to ever disapoint him. Later Steven decides he loves her more than Lucy to whomm he is practicly engaged. MAggies refuses him to avaoid hurting Lucy. Maggies does not seek her own interest, always determining to endure and put away her own happiness. When life in her home town becomes unbearable because of the gossip about her, she is encouraged to leave and work somewhere else. Maggie stays in town because she doesn't want to avoid hardship, or run away. She purposely chooses the more difficult life. In the end She is drowned along with her brother. All of their efforts to be good and restore family honor are for naught.

This sentiment is further illustrated in Tom's life. He is sent to school, and a great deal of money is spent on his education to make him a 'Man of consequence' The education turns out to be a sham, he is taught latin and painting. After his father fails in business Tom works hard at attends more school so he can learn business, eventually buying back the family mill and home. This accomplishment is much heralded by his aunts and uncles. Tom has a strong sense of justice. He takes it upon himself to punish his sister and corrent her for what he sees as her short comings, expecially her failed elopement with Steven. At last, during the great flood the mill and house are all destroyed, and Maggie shows great bravery in coming to rescue Tom. here Tom senses his own wrong and learns that Maggie is a good person. The destruction of the Mill is symbolic of the ruin of Tom's ideas about justice.

The great flood can be seen as the grace of God. The struggles of Maggie and Tom were inconsequential compared with the great saving power of God. He would destroy or save despite all or none of their own efforts. In another sense, Justice (Tom) and Love(Maggie) are not to be lived in an extreme way. Our lives on earth are complicated, and we can not live always choosing the right way to be without failure, nor should we try. No person can be right and good always like Tom, nor can we constantly sacrifice our own good for the benefit of others (Maggie). To be good people and live a good life we must sometimes hurt those around us, maybe even cheat our fellowman as Bob Jackum does. No one can save themselves on their own merit.

That is an interesting message. No one gets out unscathed.

This book had great writing.
I especially love the Mothers' aunts who are so gossipy and judgemental, especially when the family lost all of their household items, sold at auction and the aunts and uncles discuss what to buy, and then they keep the stuff and give it back to Tom years later as presents when he gets the Mill back! What awful people! but there are real people like that, always blaming the poor for being poor. Their religion is described as 'inherited' and "if their bibles, if they opend to one place more than another was as likely to be from the pressing of tulip petals as from use".
I love that the father chose his wife because she was simple and stupid. I love the Aunt Moss and how the Father treats her well because he believed this would lead to Tom treating Maggie well. I like that her 'great shame' was having an 8 children and being poor. She really was the nicest person in the book.
My favorite scene was where Phillip confronts his father about his friendship with Maggie and asks him to put aside his family quarrel. Phillip, in that scene was definately the more manly of the two lovers. Phillip loved Maggie as a friend as well as a lover. He considered her feelings and her wellbeing before his own.

Steven's love was true. But he did not consider so well the consequences of his actions. His love of her was his primary motivation. When she left him he thought of the grief that he would endure, not really about Maggie. He was not a bad person, but innocently self centered. Not a sufficent match for the self effacing Maggie.

This was a great book. I like the idea that we should all be happy as we are and not worry too much about getting through this life perfectly. Our failings are mortal and we can only do our best.
The love scenes rival Jane Austen.