Book 3: Mrs. Honeychurch.

I absolutely love the character interactions in A Room with a View. As I am nearing the end, I am finding even more things about these characters to love. The mother, Mrs. Honeychurch, just makes me laugh.

In the first scene that the reader meets her, she is writing a letter and part of the conversation goes as such;

“Where was I? Oh yes—‘Young people must decide for themselves. I know that Lucy likes your son, because she tells me everything, and she wrote to me from Rome when he asked her first.’ No, I’ll cross that last bit out—it looks patronizing. I’ll stop at ‘because she tells me everything.’ Or shall I cross that out, too?” (87)

I just find her commentary amusing.

I also love this gem…

“’She was a novelist,’ said Lucy craftily. The remark was a happy one, for nothing roused Mrs. Honeychurch so much as literature in the hands of females. She would abandon every topic to inveigh against those women who (instead of minding their houses and their children) seek notoriety by print,” (140).

*snicker*

I can laugh at it now, even though I know that there are still many, MANY people who feel that way—that a woman’s place is in the home and their success is measured by having children and making sure their husband comes home to a clean house.

I believe a main reason I find this more amusing than anything, is that the male characters feel the same way. Cecil, one of Lucy’s suitors, is very clear about his opinions—to the point that he openly mocks Lucy’s mother (which I also find amusing). I’m just glad that the males in my own life don’t have those kinds of opinions, and neither does my mother.

If anyone ever tells me that I can’t have literature in my hands because I am a female…they just better think twice.



On another note, it looks like I am going to finish this in the very near future. Any suggestions for my next book?