Plot summary, characterization, theme, major conflict- mill on the floss

#mill on the floss- novel by George Eliot

1. STARS #literature BS ENGLISH-3 rd Semester (Self-Support) Submitted to: Ma’am Romana GOVT. SADIQ WOMEN UNIVERSITY BWP

2. MILL ON THE FLOSS PLOT

3. Major Conflict Maggie must choose between her inner desire toward passion and sensuous life and her impulse towards moral responsibility and the need for her brother's approval and love.

4. Themes The claim of the past upon present identity The effect of society upon the individual The importance of sympathy Practical knowledge versus bookish knowledge Love

5. The Mill on the Floss = George Eliot’s masterpiece The story, set in the English Midlands, is centered on the lives of a brother and sister, Tom and Maggie; despite their deep reciprocal affection, they cannot understand each until their tragic end. Maggie Tulliver holds the central role in the book, as both her relationship with her older brother Tom, and her romantic relationships with Philip Wakem, a hunchbacked, and with Stephen Guest, a vivacious young socialite in St. Oggs and engaged of Maggie’s cousin Lucy Deane. Tom and Maggie are the daughter and the son of the miller of Dovecote Mill, on the River Floss. She is an intelligent and sensitive young girl, much more than the rest of her family.

6. Her brother Tom, whom she adores with all her heart and tries to please in every possible way, is on the contrary a rather dull an unimaginative boy: he is practical, decided, firm in his beliefs. The first part of the book is a brilliant study of provincial life shown with typical humor, and leads up to the financial ruin of Mr. Tulliver. The second part of the novel, deals with Maggie’s unfortunate loves: first for Philip Wakem, then for the educated and good-looking Stephen Guest. During a boat excursion Maggie and Stephen remain alone for a few days, partly due to chance but partly because of a Stephen’s design. This is enough to cause great scandal and to bring ruin on the girl.

7. Plot Summary Tom and Maggie are children to Mr. and Mrs. Tulliver. Mr. Tulliver owns the Drocode Mill by which he makes a living. He is mostly attached to his daughter Maggie while his wife and her sisters prefer the boy Tom. Tom is sent to Rev. Stelling for education and while he is there, he visits Philip Wakem, the son of a lawyer who takes Drocode Mill from Mr. Tulliver and becomes his enemy. Tom avoids making relations to Philip, but Maggie and Philip develop a liking to each other, which lasts to the end.

8. When Mr. Tulliver has become bankrupt and bedridden, Tom tries to earn a living and gather enough money to pay his father’s debts. Meanwhile, Maggie and Philip always visit each other secretly. Tom then notices and does not allow Maggie to ever talk to Philip again. Mr. Tulliver, whose debts are paid, wants to take revenge by whipping Wakem. He is so excited that again falls in bed and this time dies. Maggie, who until now had to do housework, sewing and reading, goes to visit his cousin, Lucy.

9. At Lucy’s, she visits Stephen, Lucy’s love. Gradually Stephen and Maggie fall in love with each other. Philip, who is a friend of Stephen, notices this but does not say anything. In an attempt, while Stephen and Maggie are alone in a boat, Stephen wants Maggie to elope with him. Maggie refuses by reasoning that if they do so, they will betray their friends, Lucy and Philip. Therefore, Maggie comes back to the town. The townspeople learn about the elopement and blame Maggie, and Tom does not allow her to come to their house because he thinks she has dishonored the family name. the story ends when a flood has occurred and Maggie tries to save Tom, but both of them die together.

10. Rising Action Incurious Tom is sent to school, while Maggie is held "uncanny" for her intelligence. Mr. Tulliver's pride and inability to adapt to the changing economic world causes him to lose his property in a lawsuit against Lawyer Wakem and eventually die as the result of his fury toward Wakem. To Tom's dismay, Maggie becomes secretly close to Wakem's sensitive crippled son, Philip.

11. Climax At the age of nineteen, Maggie visits her cousin Lucy and becomes hopelessly attracted to Lucy's wealthy and polished suitor, Stephen Guest, and he to her. Stephen and Maggie are inadvertently left to themselves for a boat ride. Stephen rows them further down river than planned and tries to convince Maggie to elope with him.

12. Falling Action Maggie parts with Stephen, arguing that they each cannot ignore the claims that Lucy and Philip have on them. Maggie returns to St. Ogg's several days later and is met with repudiation from the entire town and from Tom. Philip and Lucy contact Maggie and forgive her. The Floss floods, and Maggie seizes a boat and rows to the Mill to save Tom. Their boat is capsized by floating machinery, Tom and Maggie drown in each other's arms.

13. Now going to Sum up all the main points in the Novel with the help of key points, so that you can better understand about the story, role and characters. Hope this will helps you.

14. Rising Action 2. Philip and Maggie make friends when she visits Tom. 3. Mr. Tulliver loses his lawsuit and becomes a bankrupt. 4. Mr. Tulliver remains at the mill as a tenant, cursing Wakem. 5. Tom ends the relationship between Maggie and Philip. 6. Mr. Tulliver argues with Wakem and dies after Tom pays debt. 7. Maggie returns to St. Ogg's and meets Stephen Guest. 8. Maggie and Philip rekindle their friendship. 9. Stephen declares his love to Maggie. 10. Tom gets the mill back with the help of Mr. Deane. Climax 11. Maggie and Stephen leave St. Ogg's to elope. Falling Action 12. Maggie returns to St. Ogg's alone, and Tom disowns her. 13. Philip and Lucy forgive Maggie. 14. Maggie and Tom reconcile, then die together in the flood. Resolution 15. Philip, Stephen, and Lucy visit the graves. Introduction 1. Mr. Tulliver argues with Mrs. Glegg about Tom's education.

15. Thanks to all of you for giving your precious time!! Any question??