Teresa

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins is a mystery novel that begins with a woman dressed all in white that has escaped a private asylum. Very quickly the reader begins to question why the woman was really committed. Is she really insane or is there another motive? How is she connected with Sir Percival Glyde?

This is a interesting mystery, what does Sir Percival Glyde and his accomplice really want and how far will they go to get it?

This novel brings up some very interesting questions and themes. It brings up the question of women in a society where they are seen as less than the men and their husbands. They often had no power in their marriages or property as it is “managed” by the male they are tied to. The uneven power structure that lessens women is one of the major themes of this novel. “they take us body and soul to themselves, and fasten our helpless lives to theirs as they chain up a dog to his kennel. And what does the best of them give us in return?”

It also touches on the unequal standards in social class. The upper classes is seen as better and is automatically trusted and taken at their word simply because they are part of the upper-class. For example, Sir Percival is automatically believed because of his social status, “I have no doubt myself that every explanation which can be expected from a gentleman and a man of honor, he will readily give. Sir Percival stands very high...” The lower classes are seen as unreliable and suspicious.

Morality is also touched on. What is considered a crime? What is considered immoral? There is a debate in the book between the characters that touches on this subject. One person's good and morality is not considered so for other cultures. Unfortunately, this also brings up issues of some condoning or even giving a pass on crimes one society would condemn.

The theme of identity and appearance is another focus in this novel. Is someone really who they present themselves to be? This can be used to manipulate others. This can also be used to protect oneself from being used or harmed. This theme seems to be a central theme of the story and ties the other themes of class, marriage, gender, morality, and crime together. Who really are these characters and what do they really want?

This novel will make you think of morality, identity, and our place in society. Where do we stand in that society? How do we navigate that society? Does that society work for us or against us? These are questions that need to be asked. By asking them we confront the society we live in, not just to survive it but to change it. Sometimes a society needs to change to improve it for the people who live in it. This is a book that will make you think as you wonder what happens next.

This is a foundational work in the science fiction genre. It expresses topics of progress, human identity, politics, and decay. Progress is not inevitable and the future is not guaranteed to be positive.

The Time Traveler goes to the year 802,701 and finds two species that have split off from the current human race, the Eloi and the Morlocks. The Eloi, descendants of the elite, seem to live in an idyllic garden, but the Traveler soon learns about the relationship between the Eloi and the underground dwellers, the Morlocks who are the descendants of the working poor. It is a relationship of farmer to livestock. The farmer is the Morlocks and the livestock is the Eloi. Society has flipped.

The Traveler has many misadventures. One of which is setting a large forest fire as a means of escaping the Morlocks. The Traveler eventually returns to his home time and tells his story to his companions.

This novella is quite enjoyable. Lessons can be learned from this work.

Emma is a novel by Jane Austen. It is a story of the upper class woman known as Emma Woodhouse who thinks she understands love and who will be the best life partners. Most of her match-maker abilities are focused on her companion, Harriet Smith. Emma means well, however miscommunications, misconceptions, and personal conflicts abound in the town of Highbury where the book takes place. Emma's well meaning schemes and misunderstandings of love lead to many mismatched relationships.

Emma gives off a sense of someone who has been spoiled, isolated, and has had her ego strokes just a tad too much. The town of Highbury always flatters her and seems to follow her every word. This is exemplified by the character of Harriet Smith, a lower class girl who cannot seem to have a thought of her own unless Emma approves of it, or even suggests it. This leads Harriet to some heart break.

Emma does come to the realization of what she done with her schemes. However, this comes through jealousy. In all her schemes, Emma has unknowingly schemed against herself. She now regrets trying to “arrange every body's destiny” and acknowledges her machinations to be mistakes. Admitting to being “doomed to blindness”.

I enjoyed this book it was quite intriguing on who would finally get together with who. Also wondering when Emma would come to her realization. However, the language barrier was a problem, which is understandable as this novel was written in 1815. Jane Austen wrote in a time where complex sentence structure was the norm. Some of these sentences can go on for half a page or more. Also, Austen wrote in a very formal language. Some of the wording can be confusing if you read this book quickly. This book is to be read slowly and savored.

All in all, this was an enjoyable book and I highly recommend it. The themes of marriage and courtship, social class, miscommunication, and misperceptions are readily apparent in this book. Experience is important. Humbleness is important. One can do the wrong thing while meaning to help others if understanding is not present. All of these can come from experience and the willingness to listen.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte a classic story of a woman who has left her husband to protect her child and herself. This story touches on many themes: sexism, double standards, faith and morality, love and marriage, as well as work vs. idleness. All these themes come into play as the main character Helen Huntingdon (Graham) comes to the realization that she has married an alcoholic man who enjoys nothing more than a good party and is anything but moral.

Helen’s backstory unfolds in her diary. It tells the story of a moral, faith filled woman who is in love with a man she thinks she can “fix” after marriage. She learns that one can only be “fixed” if they wish to be held accountable and improve their lives. Her husband enjoys the vices of the society of the 1800s and wishes to pass them onto their young son. Helen does not approve and comes up with a plan to leave in order to protect her son from becoming like her husband.

This book is good for discussing how people approach the different standards that many people have and the society that encourages those standards. Faith, marriage, love, morality and even double standards do not happen in a vacuum. The people around us encourage us to go in one way or another. What does it take and how much strength does it take to go against a community or society that encourages one set of standards that you do not agree with or even believe harms the ones you care about? How would you react?

The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins, is a mystery in a mystery. It is a mystery novel that follows the story of a diamond from India that is not only stolen from its original custodians, but from a family in England that comes into possession of it. There are several questions that will be answered: How did the diamond come to England? How was the diamond stolen from the family? How did the diamond get to London? Does the diamond return to India or does it remain in England?

The Moonstone is one of the first modern mystery novels that helped create the genre and set the rules for mystery/detective fiction. It is written in a series of letters by the characters to understand what has happened. The story might be a bit slow in certain places (situations need to be set up), but it is an enjoyable read as both a mystery and an exploration of how the modern mystery began.