February '13 / James Reading: The Bostonians

[Scheherazade]

This month we will be reading The Bostonians by Henry James.

Please share your comments and questions in this thread.

The book is available for free at Project Gutenberg:

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/sear...the+bostonians

[Gladys]

A few chapters in and the reading seems easy - for Henry James. What Maisie knew was just as easy whereas The Ambassadors, for instance, was still hard going almost half-way through the book, while Washington Square was simply pedestrian until...

Olive Chancellor - the honest, seething, young spinster - is fascinating.

[Scheherazade]

I will probably start by Friday or so.

I am glad you are enjoying it so far, Gladys

[Gladys]

Olive Chancellor is beginning to remind me of young Emma with her naive protégé, Hariette, in Jane Austen's novel by that name. I disliked Emma and that novel, despite loving two previous Austen novels. But Olive is hardly Emma in other respects.

The urbane Basil Ransom, conservative and a little combative, remains problematic for me.

[Dark Muse]

The urbane Basil Ransom, conservative and a little combative, remains problematic for me.

Problematic in what why? I am just curious to know, do you mean it is problematic in your ability to like him? Or formulate an opinion of him, or do you find his character difficult to believe within the story?

I was not quite sure what to make of the scene with Varena, I was never quite clear if she was intended to just be a public speaker, or if in fact she was actually meant to be a some kind of channel/medium, as the moments leading up to the speech with her farther putting her into an almost hypnotic state, and her initial incoherent mumbling, as well as the others vague discretion of her speeches as being "inspired" it seemed almost as if she was intended to be invoking some other spiritual power to speak through her. She was also called "gifted" I did not know if this referred to her having some supernatural power, or if she was just meant to be a really talented speaker.

She was also I believe at one point referred to as a mountebank.

[Gladys]

Problematic in what why? I am just curious to know, do you mean it is problematic in your ability to like him? Or formulate an opinion of him...

Yes to both. I don't know what to make of Basil Ransom yet.

It was only after much experience he made the discovery that few Northerners were, in their secret soul, so energetic as he.

I get the faint impression he's heartless.

I was not quite sure what to make of the scene with Varena, I was never quite clear if she was intended to just be a public speaker, or if in fact she was actually meant to be a some kind of channel/medium, as the moments leading up to the speech with her farther putting her into an almost hypnotic state, and her initial incoherent mumbling, as well as the others vague discretion of her speeches as being "inspired" it seemed almost as if she was intended to be invoking some other spiritual power to speak through her. She was also called "gifted" I did not know if this referred to her having some supernatural power, or if she was just meant to be a really talented speaker.

She was also I believe at one point referred to as a mountebank.

What to make of Verena? Does the following help?

The girl herself would have been the most interested person in the world if she had not been the most resigned; she took all that was given her and was grateful, and missed nothing that was withheld; she was the most extraordinary mixture of eagerness and docility. Mrs. Tarrant theorised about temperaments and she loved her daughter; but she was only vaguely aware of the fact that she had at her side the sweetest flower of character (as one might say) that had ever bloomed on earth.

[Dark Muse]

Yes to both. I don't know what to make of Basil Ransom yet.

It was only after much experience he made the discovery that few Northerners were, in their secret soul, so energetic as he.

I get the faint impression he's heartless

For me at least thus far Ransom is one of those characters of whom while I might not agree with (and maybe not get along with if I knew them personally) but cannot help but to amuse me in some way. I like his character, though I don't know if I would like him much as a person, there is something I find appealing about him. I like the sort of contradictory element he adds, if that makes much sense. But the way in which he is set against his cousin in their differing view points, and his nature being opposing to her own. He makes things interesting.

What to make of Verena? Does the following help?

The girl herself would have been the most interested person in the world if she had not been the most resigned; she took all that was given her and was grateful, and missed nothing that was withheld; she was the most extraordinary mixture of eagerness and docility. Mrs. Tarrant theorised about temperaments and she loved her daughter; but she was only vaguely aware of the fact that she had at her side the sweetest flower of character (as one might say) that had ever bloomed on earth.

As I read further the book offered more of an explanation about the channeling business, and her role during the gathering. As it seems her further is in fact meant to be an actual spiritual medium while her mother's family are inclined toward being inspirational speakers, so it seems that Verena is a mix of the two. Her father likes to put on a show, and Verena inherited an ability for gifted speaking from her mother's side of the family.

[Gladys]

As I read further the book offered more of an explanation about the channeling business, and her role during the gathering.

Later on, there is a suggestion from Verena herself that she gains simple relaxation from her father's occult efforts rather than something akin to channelling.

[Scheherazade]

I have only read Book 1/Chapter 4 yet so haven't met Verena but so far I find Basil quite interesting. Like DM said, he may not be someone I might agree with on every single issue but there seems to be some kind of entertaining quality about him. He seems very laid back and able to look at things with humour.

[Dark Muse]

Does anyone else suspect that Olive may have feelings/intentions towards Verena that go beyond just friendship?

[Gladys]

Does anyone else suspect that Olive may have feelings/intentions towards Verena that go beyond just friendship?

Olive Chancellor admits to jealousy in that she would wish, against her better judgement, to keep Verena from young males - and suitors in particular. That is hardly surprising. We are told Olive considers Verena a perfect complement to herself: she has the intellect and passion, Verena the oratory and surpassing grace.

There is something stifling in Jane Austen's Emma, and even more so in Olive, the suffragette. But Olive is righteous! As I wrote on another thread, the opening paragraph of the novel has widowed sister Adeline saying of Olive Chancellor:

...she wouldn't for the world expose herself to telling a fib. She is very honest, is Olive Chancellor; she is full of rectitude.

[Dark Muse]

In reading this book I cannot help but think of the "Boston Marriages" as they were called which were quite common around this time. In which it would be socially accepted that young women would live together (though with the expectation only until they found a man to marry) but in many cases the women in these arrangements had no interest in men and marriage and formed romantic partisanships with each other.

I also recall (if I remember correctly) that early on in the book Olive is described as someone whom was meant to be a spinster, she was seen as someone who would never marry. And there was also the comment about Ransom, when he questioned why Olive invited him if she was not going to like him and she said she asked him to come for Mrs. Luna.

I find Olive's attachment to Verena to be quite distributing at times, in fact there were moments in which Olive does seem almost stalker like it was particularly disinteresting when Olive expressed her desire to isolate Verena from her parents (as well as her friends) and control her Verana should associate with, and mold her into Olive's ideal of what/who Verena should be. These are things that today would be considered as red flags in a relationship.

Emma was over involved in her good natured desire to help her friend, but Olive comes off as kind of cookoo to me. It would be a bit annoying to have a friend like Emma, but it would be a little frightening to have a friend like Olive.

[Gladys]

And there was also the comment about Ransom, when he questioned why Olive invited him if she was not going to like him and she said she asked him to come for Mrs. Luna.

This puzzled me until, chapters later, I learned that Adeline Luna was widowed. Or have I missed an earlier reference to her marital status?

[Dark Muse]

This puzzled me until, chapters later, I learned that Adeline Luna was widowed. Or have I missed an earlier reference to her marital status?

I cannot recall just when it was mentioned, but I do recall earlier in the book being a bit confused by her and her status, I think it was around the same time that that remark was made that her widowhood was refered to.

[Scheherazade]

Do you think the names signify anything?

I remember from the only other James novella I read - Daisy Miller - that James did pick them carefully.