Washington Square

Dr. Sloper prepares to meet with Mrs. Montgomery to discuss her brother. Mrs. Montgomery confirms the Doctor’s suspicions that Morris Townsend is a lazy individual who lives off anyone who will allow him to such as his sister. The doctor also offers to compensate Mrs. Montgomery since he will be forcing her to continue to bear the burden of her brother. Catherine in the meanwhile is contemplating her situation and hoping that a mutually beneficial solution will be reached by all parties involved. She still hopes for her father’s approval.

Mrs. Penniman communicates with Morris Townsend, she eventually gets him to agree to meet. Mrs. Pennimen tries to convince him to elope with Catherine. She believes that if Morris marries Catherine without consent, it will prove to Dr. Sloper that he isn’t just after the money but loves Catherine. Dr. Sloper will then be forced to accept them. Here we find that Morris is exasperated with Mrs. Penniman and is somewhat tired of her interfering. After returning home Mrs. Penniman then tells Catherine about the whole ordeal and that Morris told her to hold fast. Catherine is angered, probably for the first time in her life, by her Aunt’s deceitful actions.

 The same evening, after much thought, Catherine goes to her father’s study. Catherine makes one last plea with her father, telling him that she would like to see Morris again, to explain to him to wait until Dr. Sloper gives his consent. It is here where Dr. Sloper takes the position saying that he will never consent to the marriage. He plays a cruel card on Catherine, accusing her that if she stays engaged to Morris that she is basically waiting for her father to die. Catherine is horrified by this, because she has deep affection for her father. But Dr. Sloper never yields. It is here that there is a rift torn between father and daughter. Dr. Sloper pities her some, but is so sure in his judgments that nothing will shake them.

After passing a sleepless night, Catherine rises and dresses as usual, much to Mrs. Pennimen’s dismay. Catherine decides to summon Morris to the house. Once he arrives she starts with her original plan of asking him to wait, but Morris wears down her resolve and by the end of the conversation he has convinced her to marry him in a private marriage. Dr. Sloper is not aware of this but he has his suspicions. The doctor remarks to Mrs. Almond the he believes his daughter will stick which surprises him. Catherine is standing up for herself and not following her father’s wishes which is very out of character for her. After yet another private meeting with Mrs. Pennimen, Morris cannot believe that she has once again changed her mind and is now convinced that the best way to go about this is waiting. Mrs. Pennimen believe that this will not be a problem to their relationship because she knows Catherine loves Morris so much that he can postpone the wedding and Catherine will not think less of him.

Movie Comparison

Discussion Questions

1) While talking to Mrs. Almond about meeting Mrs. Montgomery Dr. Sloper assumes that he will be able to tell if she is a humbug. He declares he will not listen to her if she is a humbug. Does this mindset negate his efforts to vet his own judgments by referring to outside sources?

2) Does Dr. Sloper’s conduct in his conversation with Mrs. Montgomery guide her to the conclusion that Dr. Sloper comes looking for? Or does her negative assessment come from her own feelings about her brother?

3) Do you think Dr. Sloper’s opinion that he is the most powerful force in his daughter’s life, as shown in conversation with his sister Mrs. Almond, is valid?

4) Do Mrs. Penniman’s romantic notions and intervening actions help or hinder the couple? Is she on Catherine’s side, Morris’s side, or on her own side?

5) When Catherine writes Morris the letter informing him that her father had expressed the wish that she not see him anymore she also tells him not to come to the house until she had made up her mind. For the first time it seems that Catherine is not conforming to her father’s wishes, but is actually considering rebellion. Is she finally breaking away from the type that her father has categorized her into?

6) When Catherine holds onto the belief that if she would be very good, then her father would miraculously change his mind. Is she being naïve or optimistic?

 

Charles Dickens and the “American Notes”

Charles Dickens’ “American Notes” fell into obscurity due to his unpopular view of America. His venture to New York provided readers with a seemingly critical analysis of Broadway, the “gaudiness” of clothing, immigration, the prison system, and the slums. His negative viewpoint resulted in backlash by American readers.

          Charles Dickens begins with a description of the gaudy people and hot sun of Broadway. He notes the bright colors and extravagant dress of both men and women alike. In contrast to the luxurious dress, Charles Dickens takes notice of the dress of the laboring class through his description of the Irishmen. The Irishmen also serve as a way for Dickens to discuss the mentality of the working immigrants.

          The most critical point of “American Notes” is found in Dickens’ description of The Tombs, an infamous prison in New York. He notes the lack of exercise that prisoners receive, the long term in which they are held under these conditions, and the unwholesome air of the prison, which some children are forced to endure. Dickens also briefly discusses the secrecy under which hangings are held.

          Dickens ends his journey, with the exception of a last visit to The Tombs, by visiting the Five Point Slums, witnessing joy where it doesn’t seem apparent. In the slums, he saw that even without the luxuries of Broadway, people were able to enjoy themselves. He talks highly of the dancing, music, and boisterous environment.

         

          Dickens’ “American Notes” was not well-received by American readers, and resulted in only one publication. This newspaper article (The Quarterly Review, March 1843) exemplifies the American opinion on Dickens’ appraisal. The article dismisses his critical opinion as jealousy rather than regarding it as an unbiased analysis.

          However, Dickens’ background colors his opinion and his sarcastic way of writing may have come off as more insult than observation. Regarding his critical analysis of the prison system, Dickens’ family was a victim of the prison system in England. This resulted in hardship for Dickens as a child, which may have influenced his sympathy for the imprisoned children, leading to a rather opinionated view of the American prison system.

          Dickens’ personal style of writing has a way of finding humor in any situation, this situation being culture shock. As a result, Dickens’ humor came off as comedy at the expense of America. His dramatic portrayal of his experience was ill-received by an equally dramatic reception by the American public. Maybe he didn’t like America, maybe he did; that’s just Dickens.

Discussion Questions:

1. Without first analyzing “American Notes”, how did you feel about Dickens’ opinion while reading? What kind of picture does he paint about New York?

         

2. Dickens references England multiple times in discussing his view of       America. Do you think more background increased your understanding of Dickens’ opinion?

3. Who do you think that Dickens was initially writing for, the English, Americans, or nobody in particular?

4. Is Dickens’ portrayal of the immigrants positive or negative, in your opinion? Do you think there was a message Dickens was trying to get across by discussing the immigration?

5. Do you think that patriotism was a factor in the backlash that Dickens received? Do we still see this kind of reaction to modern media?*

6. Was there anything that Dickens was trying to say by including the commentary on the pigs?

*Included in discussion is the following commercial. 

Ragged-to-Riches: Ragged Dick

The story of Ragged Dick was written by Horatio Alger, using Alger’s common plot line of rags-to-riches.  Dick Hunter, a boy living on the streets since the age of seven, is now fourteen and working as a boot-black.  He has gotten by with many jobs, adapting to the situation.  He was the paperboy for a while, and also sold matches.  He made enough money to get by, and would spend the extra to gamble and buy cigars.  On the streets of New York in the 1800s, this was a fairly common sight, as evidenced by Dick’s friends.

Dick’s life changes when he meets Frank Whitney.  Frank is an honest boy brought in from the country by his uncle, and Dick offers to be his guide.  Along the way, Dick and Frank get to know each other and become friends.  Dick also gets a suit from Mr. Whitney, which becomes a prized possession for someone who only had a “Washington Coat” and “Napoleon Pants”.

Dick, after the encounter, tries his hardest to become “’spectable” so that he can get rich and live in luxury.  He starts saving his money, rents a room, and eventually lets Henry Fosdick stay in his room too.  Fosdick and Dick exchange lessons (for reading and writing, as Dick couldn’t read or write well) for the room rate (since Fosdick only had a little money).  At the end, Dick is able to read and write and both Fosdick and Dick get jobs that are better than shining boots.

Many themes surface in the story of Ragged Dick.  The main one that Alger presses is the importance of integrity and hard work.  Early on in the story, Dick shines the shoes of Mr. Greyson, who has no change with him.  Dick promises to pay the fifteen cents back to him, but Greyson isn’t sure if he will or not.  He thinks, “If he does, I will give him my custom regularly.  If he don’t, as is most likely, I shan’t mind the loss of fifteen cents.”  When he does give back the money, Greyson is very impressed and took him to church with his family and also fed them and welcomed him and Fosdick back whenever they wanted.

Another example of Dick’s integrity that stood out throughout the whole book was the fact that he never stole anything.  He had every excuse to steal, considering he lived on the street in a box with very little money gained from his profession.  He refused to, though.  When the “country chap” had his fifty dollars swindled from him, Dick got the money back and gave it right back to the man.

Dick’s courage is something that is noticed in the novel.  He was not afraid to do what he thought was right.  He would not worry about Micky Maguire or be provoked into something that would be wrong, like hit him first.  He gave money to Fosdick for a new suit; he spent his money on meals for others on occasion.  His greatest act of courage came as the child was drowning, where he acted almost instantly and saved him.  He was rewarded with a well-paying job and a new suit for his bravery, something that characterized him.

One of the things that we questioned was the reasonability of the time frame posed in Ragged Dick.  Dick breaks habits in one day that take some people years to break.  It never mentions him thinking about relapsing and going back to gambling and cigars.  I know he has a strong will and really wanted to be rich and respectable, but I think that Alger pushed the timeline a little fast for Dick.  Also, throughout the story, there are many flaws with his language.  Sometimes the word choice is poor, other times a stray word slips into the sentence that is not needed.  Surprisingly, this did not really detract from the story as much as I thought it would.

 

Discussion Questions

1. Would you be as bold as Dick was when he confronted the swindler Ephraim Smith? Were you surprised that he gave back the money to the man it was stolen from?
2. Dick is very witty and humorous, which I enjoyed very much. What did everyone else think of his humor? Do you have any specific examples?
3. I was elated when Dick told Frank that he would no longer gamble, and when he started a savings account. What did you think of Dick's character development? Did it seem reasonable?
4. Even with a dislike of violence, Dick handles himself well against his enemy Micky Maguire. I enjoyed how he didn't take advantage of the situation and only acted defensively. I think that this spoke to Dicks' true nature. Did anyone feel differently?
5. When Dick took care of his friend Fosdick and gave him a place to stay, while helping other boot-blacks that he considered friends, there was a marked change in his life. Fosdick's private tutoring was a major turning point for Dick, and I believed that it was an important step that contributed to his success. Were there other situations that people think might have been more important to Dick's development?
6. In a year, Dick transitions from spending his earnings on movies, cigars, oyster stews, and other pleasures, to finally saving up his money and contributing to the welfare of his friends. Do you think that this was a reasonable improvement for such a small time? What does this suggest about the believability of the author?  
7. The rescue of the boy by Dick, an immediate response that wasn't spurred by greed or rewards, was also a pivotal moment. I think it shows that the smallest actions can have life-changing consequences, and that it also attributes a "lucky" theme into the novel. Were there any other "lucky" moments that were striking to you?
8. In addition to luck, there were several branching and overlapping themes throughout the novel. These include the importance of hard work, what it means to grow up, that virtuous attributes are important to success, and it encompasses a “rags-to-respectability” element. Dick does not become wealthy and privileged, but his situation does improve drastically. Most of Horatio Alger Jr’s books were of the same caliber, even though he did not experience those same situations while growing up. He was not subject to the same hardships as the majority of his characters, so where do you think he gained the inspiration to depict his characters with relative accuracy?