The Mill On The Floss Essay, Research Paper
The Mill on the Floss is a book written
by George Eliot, whose real name is Mary Anne (later
Marian) Evans. There is a great deal of autobiography in this
book. The facts of Mary Anne’s life do not match Maggie
Tulliver, but there is an obvious reflection of her own life.
Book One: Chapter1-13 The novel opens up with a
description of the countryside around the town of St. Ogg’s
and the river Floss. In the second chapter Maggie, Mr.
Tulliver, Mrs. Tulliver, and Mr. Riley are introduced. Mr.
Tulliver states his intention to send Tom to a different school.
In the third chapter Mr. Riley gives his advice about a school
for Tom. In the forth chapter Mr. Tulliver goes after Tom,
while Mr. Tulliver is gone you learn about that Maggie’s
mother is concerned mainly with what her family thinks. In
the fifth chapter Tom is home and you learn that he cares for
his sister Maggie deeply, and that Tom’s opinion is very
important to Maggie. In the sixth chapter the Tulliver’s are
getting ready for the aunts and uncles to arrive. In the
seventh chapter the family arrives and you are introduced to
Mrs. Glegg, Mrs. Pullet, Mrs. Deane and Maggie’s cousin
Lucy. Mr. Tulliver states his intention to send Tom to school
and it is met with opposition. In the eighth chapter he goes to
his brother-in-laws house to demand the money that he
owes him so that he can pay his wife’s sister Mrs. Glegg. In
chapter nine you read about the Tullivers going to visit the
Pullets. In the tenth chapter Maggie pushed Lucy in the mud
because she is receiving most of Tom’s attention. When Tom
goes to tell on her she runs off and can’t be found. In the
eleventh chapter Maggie decides to run away to the gypsies,
but after learning how poor they were and how little of food
they had she decides to go back home. In the twelfth
chapter you read that St. Ogg is named for it’s patron saint
who showed pity on a woman and child. St. Ogg is the town
where the Gleggs live. In the thirteenth chapter Mr. Tulliver
borrows money from a client of his old enemy Wakem.
Book One: Chapter 1-7 In the first chapter of this book
Tom is at school, and he is Stelling’s only student. Maggie
goes to visit him in October. In the second chapter Tom gets
to come home for Christmas. Mr. Tulliver has a lawsuit
against Mr. Pivart , his next door neighbor. It has also
become known that Wakem’s son will be sent to school with
Tom. In the third chapter Tom is back at school and meets
Phillip Wakem. Philip Wakem is a small, deformed youth
with a hump on his back, but is an exceptional artist and
story teller. In the forth chapter read that Tom feels that
Philip is an enemy. Tom and Philip get in an argument that
left Phillip crying bitterly. Tom bribes Mr. Poulter to let him
borrow his sword and keep it under his bed. In the fifth
chapter Tom tries to make up the quarrel with Philip, but
Wakem does not respond. Tom tries to impress Maggie and
drops the sword on his foot. Also Maggie becomes very
fond of Philip Wakem. In the sixth chapter Philip sends all
his extra time with Tom and Maggie. Maggie kisses Philip in
the library and promises to do so again next time she sees
him. In the seventh chapter Tom goes on at King’s Lorton
until his fifth half year, and Maggie is sent to boarding school
with Lucy. Also Mr. Tulliver loses his lawsuit against Mr.
Pivart. Book Three: Chapters 1-9 In the first chapter Mr.
Tullver falls off of his horse and is found insensible by the
roadside. Tom ventures that Wakem is responsible and
vows to make him "feel for it". In the second chapter Mr.
Tulliver is found crying over the things that she has to sell to
pay the mortgage. Maggie reproaches her mother for caring
more about her possessions than Mr. Tulliver. In the third
chapter the aunts and uncles gather for consultation. They
help by buying some of Mrs. Tullivers good things. In the
forth chapter Mr. Tulliver wakes up for a while and
becomes excited, but soon falls back to bed. In the sixth
chapter Tom goes to see his uncle Deane about a job. Mr.
Deane gives him a job for no better reason than he is his
nephew.. In the sixth chapter the sale of Mrs. Tullivers
household goods is finally over. Bob Jakin, one of Tom’s
childhood friends, comes back to repay a favor. He offers
them money, but they refuse it saying that it is not nearly
enough to help. In the seventh chapter Mr. Tulliver slowly
recovers but has lost track of time. Also Wakem decided
that it would be a good investment to buy the mill. In the
eighth chapter the land and the mill are sold to Wakem, and
Mr. Tulliver agrees to be employed by Wakem as a
manager. In the ninth chapter Mr. Tulliver struggles with
himself to keep his promise to work for Wakem. Mr.
Tulliver also has Tom write in the family bible that he will
never forgive Wakem, and that Tom must make him feel for
it when the chance comes. Book Four: Chapters 1-3 In the
first chapter you read that the religion of the Dodsons and
Tullivers is "of a simple, semi-pagan kind." Family life on the
Floss os much like before. In the second chapter you read
that Maggie is old for her years but lacks Tom’s self
command. Mrs. Tullivers uncontentment in this empty life is
less painful to Maggie than her father’s sullenness. In the
third chapter Bob Jakin comes to the house and brings
books for Maggie. One is by Thomas a Kempis, this book
leads her to a new inner life . Book Five: Chapters 1-7 In
the first chapter Maggie who is now seventeen years old and
darkly beautiful tells Philip that she is glad that he has come,
and they start meeting secretly. In the second chapter Tom
borrows money from aunt and uncle Glegg to repay debts.
In the third chapter Maggie feels that concealment is wrong
and that they should not meet secretly anymore. In the forth
chapter Maggie returns a book to Philip saying she did not
like it because once again the fair-haired woman stole all the
love from the dark woman. Philip also declares his love for
her, but she says that she can do nothing about it because
she does not want to hurt her father. In the fifth chapter Tom
finds out about her meeting Philip and goes with her to meet
him. He makes Maggie swear never to meet him again. In
the sixth chapter the Tullivers finally have the money to pay
off their debts. In the seventh chapter Tulliver meets with his
creditors. He meets Wakem on his way back home and
knocks him off of his horse. Mr. Tulliver is whipping Wakem
when Maggie comes to restrain him. Later that night Mr.
Tulliver gets very ill and dies, before his death he would not
forgive Wakem. Book Six: Chapters 1-14 In the first
chapter you read about Lucy Deane being courted by
Stephen Guest. Also Maggie is coming to stay with her.
Mrs. Tulliver has been their housekeeper since Mrs. Deane
died. Stephen feels that Lucy is the sort of woman to marry.
In the second chapter Maggie comes and meets Stephen
who finds her beautiful and intelligent. He finds Maggie
interesting but believes he could never love her. In the third
chapter Maggie tells Lucy she feels that Stephen is too
self-confident.. She also tells her the story of herself and
Philip. In the forth chapter Maggie goes to visit Tom, who is
lodging with Bob Jakin, and asked to be absolved of her
promise not to see Philip. Tom agrees but says she must give
him up if she begins to think of Philip as a lover. In the fifth
chapter Tom tries to get Mr. Guest to buy Dorlcote mill, and
says if it can be bought he would like to buy it by working
off the price. In the sixth chapter Maggie is launched by
Lucy into St. Ogg’s society. Also Maggie and Stephen are
becoming very aware of each other. In the seventh chapter
Maggie sees Philip. Philip recognizes that Maggie and
Stephen are in love but he will not allow himself to believe it.
In chapter eight Philip tells his father that he wants to marry
Maggie. At first Wakem disapproves but then says that he
can if she will have him. In the ninth chapter Maggie helps
Lucy in a booth selling large, plain articles. Mr. Wakem
comes and speaks to Maggie amiably. Maggie goes to aunt
Moss’s house and has told Lucy that she will speak to Tom
about marrying Philip, but she is still in love with Stephen. In
chapter ten Stephen kisses Maggie and she sends him away.
She tells Philip she is leaving and will speak to her brother.
In the eleventh chapter Maggie has stayed with her aunt four
days before Stephen comes to see her. Stephen asks her
hand in marriage and she refuses, they exchange one kiss
before he goes. In the twelfth chapter Tom refuses to give
his blessing for Maggie and Philip to get married. In the
thirteenth chapter Maggie tries to avoid Stephen but finds it
impossible. She ends up going rowing with him. Stephen
asks Maggie once again to marry him and she refuses. They
rowed out way to far and ended up getting on a boat coming
toward them. In the fourteenth chapter Maggie departs from
Stephen telling him they can never get married. Book Seven:
Chapters 1-5 In the first chapter Maggie returns home to
Tom, but Tom hearing of her on the river with Stephen, and
not being married, turned her out. Bob Jakin took her and
her mother in. In the second chapter it becomes known that
Maggie has returned unwed and she is cast out of society.
Dr. Kenn tries finds her a position at the church. In the third
chapter aunt Pullet offers to take Maggie in but she declines.
There is also word that Lucy is no longer ill. Maggie receives
a letter from Philip and it makes her sure that no happiness in
love could make her forget the pain of others. In the forth
chapter Dr. Kenn, unable to find her a position, employs her
himself as a governess to his children. Lucy comes and visits
Maggie and tells her that she is not angry with her and that
Maggie is better than she. In the fifth chapter Dr. Kenn has
to let Maggie because of rumors that he intends to marry
her. Maggie receives another letter from Stephen asking her
to come to him, but she resolves not to go. She is wondering
how long it is until death. At that moment she feels water
about her knees, knowing at once it is the flood. Maggie is
swept away in one of the boats while trying to help Bob
ready the boats. She paddles to reach the mill. Tom climbs
out into the boat. They set off to find Lucy. Huge fragments
are floating and people in a boat shout a warning , but Tom
and Maggie are borne down by the drifting masses. They
disappear under the current "in an embrace never to be
parted."