French February

Actually I have made a reading schedule for February, which contains:

Little Dorrit (Dickens)

The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Dickens)

Richard III (Shakespeare)

Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets—reread

Mrs. Dalloway (Woolf)

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Smith)

I have been determined to finish them all, although I doubt I can do it.

And today…I suddenly received an invitation from Goodreads from o (Delaisse). She is hosting an event to read as much as classics from French authors: French February. Well, ‘French’ has always been my weakness (and I love o’s Eiffel button…!!), so I think I can’t prevent myself from joining anyway. But…wait… If I can’t be sure to finish those 6 books in my schedule, how can I add one more? Oh, by the way, I’m going to take Voltaire’s Candide—it’s a novella, and I’ve been wanting to read it for sometime.

That means I must scrap one of those 6 books and move it to next month(s) to make room for Candide. The question is, which one?.... Considering that I planned to read 2 books for WEM Self Project (Richard III and Mrs. Dalloway) which would slow my readings a lot, I finally I decided that Mrs. Dalloway must step out of her previous group to enter March group :)

So, here I am….ready to visit France! I wish I could be there right now…:(

The Portrait of A Lady – The Stage Reading Inquiries

These are my works on stage reading inquiries for my Well-Educated Mind Self Project. As I still have much more to talk about this book, I decided to write separate post as my final review. I hope you haven’t been bored yet to read more about this book; it’s a good story anyway! :)

Eugene de Blaas (1843-1931)

Grammar-Stage Inquiry

Who is the central character in this book?

Isabel Archer, an American young woman, daughter of a wealthy man. She was a self-possessed intelligent woman with a free and independent mind.

What is the book’s most important event? At which point in the book does the character change?

I think there are two most important points in Isabel’s life. First is her decision to marry Gilbert Osmond, an American man who lived in Italy, who has a noble manner and a conventional mind and taste. Isabel, with her obsession to anything different and new, saw Osmond as a charming man who stood aside from others. She married him, and slowly realized that she had made a terrible mistake, as Osmond was a very dominant husband. After the marriage, the free and high spirited Isabel became passive, indifferent, and seemed to always be under a mask.

The second point is at the last chapter after Ralph’s death, when Isabel finally decided that she would return to her dominant husband, but this time she would be herself. Isabel has learned all the truth, she knew now what has made her suffered, and that there was no place in the world where women could be completely free. Thus all she could do was to freely choose her destiny and live with it bravely, and I guess she won’t be as submissive to Osmond as before.

Logic-Stage Inquiry

What does Isabel Archer want? What is standing in her way? What strategy does she pursue in order to overcome this block?

Isabel Archer always wanted to be free, even before she inherited that huge amount of fortune. However, the society where she lived could not accept women to be free on their own. In this story, Isabel was trapped under her husband (Osmond)’s dominancy right after their marriage. At first Isabel firmly rejected her friends’ advises to leave Osmond, she did not want to run away from her own decision. Till the end of the story, James did not clearly mention Isabel’s plan, but I believe she has quite changed after Ralph’s dead and Goodwood’s passionate proposal. Isabel knew at last that she could not change something beyond her control: culture and society, but at least she could change her own mind, her way of thinking. Men can control her physically, but they could not frighten her, Isabel decided to return home with a new spirit. That’s only the beginning to get your freedom, to realize that no one could frighten you.

Who is telling you the story?

The story is told from both the third person limited and the omniscient point of views. James picked Isabel Archer as his central character; the story was told by a narrator using her point of view. However, there were times when the narrator also took us to analyze Isabel’s decision, her state of mind, and her feelings. So I think James wanted us to judge for ourselves whether his heroine had done the right things, considering what she had experienced, what she could not control, and the culture and society at that time.

Rhetoric-Stage Inquiry

Is this book an accurate portrayal of life? Is it true?

From what I had read in Victorian books and histories, Isabel’s situation—the lack of freedom for women—was accurate. Even until now, I believe there are still women who experience domination from men everywhere; either physically or mentally; either at home, at work place, or at society.

Do you sympathize with the characters? Which ones, and why?

From the moment Isabel entered the story, I have felt that she had much similarity to me, that made me sympathize with her more. I could understand her feeling, as I often feel it too; we both long to express ourselves in a way we want it, we like to live our own lives and make decision by ourselves. What Isabel always need was the freedom to look at things from her point of view, to be given chance to express it, and being appreciated. Isabel suffered a lot under her husband domination but she refused to surrender.

What exactly is the writer telling you?

Through his heroine, I think James wanted us to give more respect to women. When a man marries a woman, he ought not just to consider whether she would be a beautiful ornament to his household or not. Women are human being, just as men; they were created equally to support each other in a marriage life. Men must give their wives more room to express themselves, to be their husband’s partners. Men must give more respect to their wives—or women in general.

James talked a lot about the difference of Americans and Europeans. Americans were portrayed to be more open-minded and aggressive—look at Henrietta Stackpole and Caspar Goodwood; while Europeans were more conservative. I think James wanted to tell us how human beings were shaped by culture and society where they had been grown up. You could not bend their characters to be like yours; and that in marriages between two cultures, you could each compromise to each other—compromising, not total submission.

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The Old Man and The Sea

I don’t know why it takes me so long to read one of Ernest Hemingway’s masterpieces: The Old Man and The Sea. Maybe it’s because of my first encounter with Hemingway years ago; back then I read the translation of To Have and Have Not. I don’t know whether it’s because of the bad translation or because I haven’t been familiar with classics works, but I didn’t enjoyed it at all—although I got a sense that it should be a good book if I could better praise it. I remember I have sensed Hemingway’s deep details of fishermen’s life and how beautiful he described about sea and fish. Anyway, it’s not until this month—thanks to Adam’s TBR Pile Challenge—that I am determined to finally read another Hemingway. And…I can say now that I enjoyed the story very much, and that I am planning to read more from Hemingway!

Like To Have and Have Not, the story of The Old man and The Sea is very simple. Santiago is an old poor fisherman in Havana, and lately his luck—if he ever had it—had evaporated. He lost his faithful assistant and friend, a boy who loved him, and for the last 84 days he hadn’t succeeded in catching fish. On the 85^th day, Santiago sailed alone as usual, and suddenly his bait attracted a very big fish—his biggest catch—and from then on the old man had struggled in an equal fight with the big fish, which exhausted both creatures, went on for several days, and only stopped when one of them would win from the other. Could the old man return home safely this time?

Really, I have never imagined before, that catching fish could become a dangerous activity. Both the old man and the fish were fighting in a live-or-die battle against enemy whose minds was different from each other, and they must challenge each patience, used their instinct when to make a move and when to wait other to take action.

Hemingway’s experience in fishing helped him wrote detailed life of fishermen, the way they unite with the nature, the fishing tools, the fishing process, the beauty and richness of the sea and the creatures live under water. Hemingway also succeeded in catching the humanity aspect in a fisherman’s job. Reading this book is like going on board with Santiago, watching him skillfully preparing his ‘weapons’, feeling the same nervousness as Santiago’s when he met and must fight sharks, and share the same compassion towards the Fish—as a companion in the journey of competition to survive at the sea.

In today’s world where greediness is almost unbearable, it’s soothing to read how the old man regarded the Fish not as lower creature he must conquer; but as an equal partner at the sea. That he must kill the Fish, it’s because he needed to survive. Santiago only took what he needed, instead of robbing the sea for his own wealth. At some points, Santiago even questioned himself whether it’s wise to hunt the Fish. After the Fish has died and its blood attracted sharks to eat its flesh, Santiago fought bravely with the sharks, not only to protect his catch, but also to protect his ‘friend’ from being torn violently by the sharks. It’s an amazing harmony between man and nature; just as what God had created them for, to take and give, and to create a balanced life on earth.

The Old Man and The Sea also teach us to have patience in hard times. Santiago had never lost hope although he hadn’t caught fish for 84 days; he kept counting on the next days; that if not today, maybe the morrow would be another day when he would be lucky to catch some fishes. And isn’t it remarkable to see how Santiago patiently hunted the fish; how he waited till the perfect moment came, when the Fish lost hope and began to rise from the deep of the sea to the surface, where Santiago would be able to attack it?

It’s also remarkable how Santiago used his sharp intuition and long time relationship with the sea, that he could understand the Fish’ character, as if he was battling with human being instead of animal. And in that way Santiago treated and respected the Fish as if it’s a human being too. Isn’t it lovely when human could respect equally all God’s creature, so that we could all live in harmony?

To the world, Santiago was perhaps just a poor old man who was fading from life, from the world. But for the boy, he was a perfect example of how man should live his life. Success is not counted from how big or how many fish a fisherman could catch; it is how the fisherman keeps doing his job from day to day in the same manner and with the same hope that God would grant him everything he needs; it is how he is always prepared for everything, the good or the bad, when it comes his way; it is how he keeps doing his best and pushes to the limit, accepts what he receives, and lives with it—day by day, never loses hope. In that, I think, only the boy could praise the old man’s achievement. He looked at the boat, the fish’ remains, and the old man’s bleeding hands, and he understood, then cried. The old man might not get anything from his adventure that time, but he has done all his best, he has given all his strength and ability to do his job; and surely, some other day he’ll get the reward. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?

Five stars for The Old Man and The Sea, and I understand now how this short and simple story was granted a Pulitzer Prize; it’s really well deserved!

*I read the translation in Bahasa Indonesia—translated and published by Serambi on 2008*

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*This book is counted as*

1^st book for Turn of The Century Salon

1^st book for 2013 TBR Pile Challenge

1^st book for Back To The Classics 2013

1^st book for Bucket List Reading Challenge

29^th book for The Classics Club

49^th book for 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

January theme: Pulitzer Winner Books for BBI (Blogger Buku Indonesia) Read Along

Weekend Quote 15: The Portrait of A Lady

Still from The Portrait of A Lady, this time I borrowed something Ralph Touchett—a dying young man who loved the heroine, Isabel Archer, but knowing that he won’t be a good husband for her, he could only love from afar—had said to Isabel. If only Ralph didn’t have love in his heart, he must have died months before, but his love for Isabel had made him much stronger. He chose to live because he worried about Isabel’s unhappiness. This was what he said to Isabel when Ralph was about to go home to London, to die in peace…

“It was for you that I wanted—that I wanted to live.”

It is short, simple, distinct and really-deeply touching!

Why oh why, women tend to love long-flowery sentences (or even poems??)—that might keep a lot of contradictions if you are thorough enough to examine them—while there is a very simple way to express one’s love.

When a man expressed that he had forced himself to live—while he could have rested in peace—just because he loves you, well…what more do you expect, ladies?

This Weekend Quote is hosted by Half-Filled Attic. Feel free to join. You can:

• Give the context of the quote
• Give your opinion whether you agree or disagree with it
• Share your experience related to the quote
• Share similar quotes you remember
• Or anything else. Just have fun with the quote.

The Portrait of A Lady – Chapter 46-55

And these are the last ten chapters of this book (you can return to chapters 1-15; chapters 16-30; or 31-45 if want to grab the whole complete chapters).

Portrait Of Madame Gaudibert
(Monet)

 Chapter 46

Lord Warburton’s proposal letter had never arrived, and when Osmond had been impatient, Warburton appeared himself only to say good bye as he’d be leaving Rome. Osmond blamed his great disappointment to Isabel, and still bore hope that someday Lord Warburton would still think about marrying Pansy.

Chapter 47

Caspar Goodwood had already overcome his broken heart; and Isabel made him promise to take care of the dying Ralph for her. Meanwhile, Osmond like Goodwood more than Isabel’s other friends.

Chapter 48

Ralph decided to come home to die at peace; Henrietta was willingly to escort him, as well as Caspar Goodwood who was asked his favor by Isable. Ralph did not believe that Isabel was happy, but could never extract the truth from Isabel; so did Goodwood who must leave Rome unsatisfied. Here Isabel seemed eager to send everyone away from her.

Chapter 49

Madame Merle blamed Isabel because she has failed to marry Pansy to Lord Warburton. On the other hand, Isabel now fully realized that Madame Merle had cunningly set up her marriage.

Chapter 50

Edward Rosier had sold his precious collections in order to be “rich enough” for Osmond, to marry his daughter; however Osmond made a quick decision to put Pansy in the convent. Meanwhile Countess Gemini was fond of Rosier, and Osmond threatened to banish her if she interfered with his business.

Chapter 51

Ralph was dying, but when Isabel wanted to leave for England to attend to Ralph’s dying bed, Osmond forbade her. Countess Gemini revealed to Isabel that in fact Osmond was Madame Merle’s old lover, and that Pansy was their daughter.

Chapter 52

Isabel finally decided to leave after all, alone. She stopped by the convent to see Pansy, but met Madame Merle there. The later finally realized that Isabel had learned about her secret, and took revenge by telling her that Ralph was in fact the one who had made her fortune.

Chapter 53

Henrietta was going to marry Mr. Bantling and surprisingly left her beloved native land—America—to live in England.

Chapter 54

At Gardencourt Isabel heard news that Lord Warburton was going to marry a lady he had courted only three weeks. Isabel accompanied Ralph beside his dying bed, and they talked every think they had been hiding until then. Although Isabel always hid it, Ralph always understood that she was unhappy. They were having a happy time to feel their love until Ralph finally left the world in peace.

Chapter 55

After the funeral, Isabel was confused, she could not make her mind of what she should do, should she return although she knew Osmond would be very angry to her? Lord Warburton came to bid her good bey; while Caspar Goodwood came to tell Isabel that Raplh—before he died—has asked him to take good care of Isabel. With that, Goodwood suggested that Isabel should leave her husband and marry him instead. After a passionate act from Goodwood, Isabel suddenly knew what she must do; she must go home. And with that—once again—Isabel sent Goodwood away.

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Isabel Archer in The Portrait of A Lady

Isabel Archer—our heroine—is a self-possessed young lady with independent mind. She has been comfortably living under her father’s protection, and her obsession was seeing more of the world and how people lived across from where she had been living: America. When she must live alone, Isabel was in the state of a writer who was facing a blank paper; eager to start filling it with his remarkable ideas, yet didn’t know what to write.

Her aunt, Mrs. Touchett brought Isabel to England, where her life would never be the same again. Inheriting some amount of money made Isabel felt free, free to reach her dream to widen her knowledge. She rejected two marriage proposals from two gentlemen because she wanted to fulfill her dream first. Then in her journey around the world, she met a man she adored. Ignoring everyone’s advises, Isabel married Gilbert Osmond, lived in Rome, and soon found that she had completely lost everything dear to her during the marriage. She had made a huge mistake!

From a lot of classics characters, I think Isabel Archer is the one to whom I most akin. Both of us praise freedom; freedom to be ourselves, to do what we like, and to sound our ideas. Unfortunately for Isabel, she lived in her era, when women were not supposed to live by her own. Well, the same thing applies nowadays—perhaps, in certain country with strong patriarchal culture—but it was much tougher for women in 19^th century.

Nicole Kidman as Isabel Archer

Other thing that makes me as if I’m seeing my own reflection on the mirror, is Isabel’s stubbornness (if it could be called ‘stubborn’) in not following others’ persuasive suggestions. In all occasions, when her friends persuaded her to do or choose something, Isabel always did the contrary. I share the same thing as Isabel, the harder people suggest us to take direction, the harder we stick to the other way. Why Isabel chose Osmond instead of Lord Warburton or Caspar Goodwood? Because Osmond never pushed her too hard (well—at the beginning, I mean; he changed a lot after they had married).

All in all, Isabel was a smart woman, she had her own ideas, and she was eager to express it. I think marriage would not be a danger if Isabel had chosen the right man. In her innocence, Isabel could not see behind people’s masks. And when she made a mistake, her pride prevented her to admit anything at all to her friends who cared about her. She preferred to swallow the bitterness by herself, she felt that she had done the mistake by herself—despite of their advises—so now she would not complain, not even to her husband who had made her suffered.

Isabel was a very strong and brave woman. Others would think her as stupid and stubborn, rejected other’s stretching hands to help her. But I can understand why she kept her bitterness to herself. Like I said, Isabel is very similar to me. You might call it pride or arrogance, whatever, we don’t care. We are strong women, we knew we’ve made mistakes—hey, who doesn’t?—but we didn’t like to be forced to confess it to everyone. We knew what you all would say: See, what I’ve told you? Or I know you’re unhappy, etc etc. Well, you DON’T know anything, so stop disturbing us; mind your own business. We would let you know when we need helps, but before that just leave us alone.

One thing I don’t agree with Isabel, of all her suitors, I wonder why Isabel could not see that Ralph’s love was the truest and deepest. Speaking about love, I don’t believe that Isabel really loved Osmond, I think she adored him, she was amazed by his noble thoughts and his knowledge. Ralph might be too humorous, but deep inside he was sincere. But then, Isabel was only a very young innocent girl. Girls like Isabel were easily fascinated by the world, not knowing that there are so many deceptions under the beautiful masks.

In the end, are we happy? If we were given another opportunity, would we take different path? I think the answer would be 'No'. Isabel Archer and I hold our principles, and leaving a husband, even if he hates us, is not something we would do in the first place. We know that life can be difficult, but we will get through all that. We are strong when we hold on ourselves and stand on our feet, others' interference would only weaken and confuse us.

The Portrait of A Lady – Chapter 31-45

Another summary post for the next fifteen chapters, following the first chapters 1 – 15, then chapter 16 to 30.

Chapter 31

A year after making the journey to see the world, Isabel took another journey to the East with Madame Merle where she found hints of her friend’s bad morality, which declined her friendship’s intensity with Madame Merle. Then Isabel returned to Florence to meet Mrs. Touchett and Ralph.

Chapter 32

Caspar Goodwood came as he had been promised by Isabel, to get final answer from the young lady two years after their last meeting. Isabel told him that she was going to marry Gilbert Osmon, and Goodwood then left in anger.

Chapter 33

 Mrs. Touchett disapproved Isabel’s intention to marry Mr. Osmond who possessed nothing, but she was angrier to Madame Merle for having deceived her. Ralph was very shocked when he heard the news; he had done a huge mistake in his calculation about Isabel’s future.

Chapter 34

Ralph uttered to Isabel how he thought it’s wrong to marry Osmond whom he believed was a villain but could not prove anything about it. He finally admitted that he had had a great design for Isabel’s future because, as he said: “I love you, but I love without hope”.  Isabel could not accept that argument, she had chosen Osmond because he was nobody and had nothing, that she loved his mind and his character.

Chapter 35

When no one agreed Isabel’s decision, it made her firmer of it, she felt that her marriage was to please herself, not anyone else.

Chapter 36

Mr. Edward Rosier re-appeared, he turned out to be falling in love with Pansy Osmond, and was asking Madame Merle’s favour to ease his way to marry the little girl—who now turned fifteen.

Chapter 37

Mr. Osmond didn’t want to have Rosier as his son in law, for he’s not rich and not good enough for Pansy. Mrs. Osmond—or our Isabel—followed her husband’s judgment while Madame Merle seemed to have her own plan for Mr. Rosier who was offended by the rejection.

Chapter 38

Lord Warburton came to visit the Osmonds in Rome; he had recovered from his old broken heart. He brought Ralph—whose health got worse—with him. Meanwhile Pansy confirmed Rosier that her love was for him.

Chapter 39

Ralph observed that Isabel has changed, the self-possessed young woman had become only a representative of her husband. Ralph’s health got better while in Rome because he was so excited to see what would happen next to Isabel, that he decided to stay in Rome, as well as Lord Warburton who suddenly became interested in Pansy… or her stepmother?....

Chapter 40

At first Isabel was sure that she has set up her marriage with Osmond by her own, without Madame Merle’s help; but as time went on, she became unsure. She knew she had a big mistake, but she just had to accept and live with that, and won’t put the blame on Madame Merle. One day she witnessed Madame Merle and her husband were talking in a very friendly and intimate manner. Meanwhile Isabel was reluctant and indifferent when Madame Merle was discussing Mr. Rosier’s proposal to marry Pansy; but she immediately approved Pansy’s marriage when she heard that Lord Warburton had somehow attracted to the girl.

Chapter 41

When Osmond was talking to Isabel, it’s obvious that he dominated his wife, and that Isabel became submissive. Osmond wanted to set up a marriage between Pansy and Lord Warburton; he asked Isabel to use her “influence” upon the Lord to manage it.

Chapter 42

After some reflections, Isabel became aware of Warburton’s true intention of marrying Pansy, was it not to renew his love to her? Other than that, sable realized how Osmond had hated her, which made her life miserable. She didn’t think she made a mistake on marrying Osmond, as she had been devoted to him. It’s just that Osmond didn’t like women with too many ideas as Isabel. He liked Isabel’s cleverness, but he expected her to follow his way of thinking. Osmond’s very conservative and Isabel—with her free mind and no traditions—suffered a good deal for being confined in Osmond’s principles. Her reflection lingered also to Ralph who was much more intelligent than Osmond. Isabel often visited Ralph whom she believed was dying.

Chapter 43

In a dance party to where Isabel escorted Pansy, she met Lord Warburton whom Isabel found still in love with her, not Pansy. Poor Edward Rosier pleaded Isabel’s help for him to marry Pansy; Isabel was indifferent at first but at the end she gave him a little hope.

Chapter 44

Countess Gemini—Osmond’s sister—Henrietta Stackpole and Caspar Goodwood were on their way to the Osmond’s, although they came for very different reasons. The Countess was invited by her brother, while Henrietta would like to help her dearest friend who was unhappy—especially when she heard that Lord Warburton was in a close approach to Isabel. Meanwhile Goodwood wanted to see Isabel again.

Chapter 45

Osmond dislike Isabel’s frequent visits to Ralph’s, whom he thought would infect her wife’s mind with his idea of freedom. On their meetings, Isabel often hid her feeling about her miserable marriage in front of Ralph. Isabel knew that Pansy would be happy if she married Rosier, but she mercilessly pushed her to marry Warburton instead, because Osmond wanted it. Pansy firmly believed that Warburton won’t proposed her if she didn’t want it.

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