Yuck!  First of all, he loves her for who knows how long and then he just shows up and professes his love.  And then the "love scene" where he puts her on his knee.  Gag me with a spoon!  And how is she supposed to respond.  I mean she was broke and she was still mourning.  (I'm still trying to get over the coincidence of meeting at the graveyard).  However, Chapter XX, the classic simile, William speaking about hating Mr. Pelet's guts "...grew spiny as a porcupine, and inflexible as a blackthorn cudgel."  And then on the next page where William is putting to bed the obliterated Mr. Pelet "...his eyes in a fine frenzy rolling -- a pretty sight he was, a just medium between the fool and the lunatic."  And then he moves because he is afraid he will have an affair with Mde Reuter.  How do you rationalize immoral behavior--and William the ever present moralist! I don't know, it just struck me wrong.  Who is Mr. Brown?  Did I miss that somewhere?  But in Hunsden's letter to William, "And this you may rely on:  if she pleases my taste, or if I think it worth while in a pecuniary point of view, I'll pounce on your prize and bear her away triumphant in spite of your teeth.  Ah, Hundsen, ever the idiot.  But then the book really falls apart for me.  I, too, am glad I read Charlotte's other books first.  I'm sorry she had to live through that, that anyone had to, must still, live through that.  However, I am glad we read the book.   I'm excited about "Rilla".  Let's get to it.  I want to get the bad taste out of my mouth.

Next Book

Well it pains me to say it, because I think Charlotte Bronte is brilliant and she's one of my favorite writers, but I did not enjoy The Professor much. Actually, I kind of can't believe she's wrote it. I'm glad she was able to get that first novel out of the way, so that she could bring the world Jane Eyre and Villette.  However, I'm not sorry I read it - now I just need to read Shirley to have read all of Charlotte's novels.  The book does not stand on it's own, but is interesting in the sense of a study of Charlotte Bronte.

I have 3 other potential books in mind for book club - all ones that I've read before that I think will be better liked. The next one I would like to do is Rilla of Ingleside - because I'd like the twins to get this book read.  You'll both like it, it's short, and you don't need to have read all of the Anne books first - this book can be read and liked without having read the whole series. When would you people like to start another book - please comment to let me know.

Ouch! I've Been Bronted

I'm not a fan of any of the sisters Bronte; what's next?   Really debbs..."a twisted desultory denouement ..."?!!
      papachuckr

Pelet and Reuter

I am quite disgusted at the behavior of these two school masters.  They are both trying to trap William.  Now, I agree with Shyla about Williams's character.  But in this circumstance, I am glad that William sticks to his high morals and good opinion of himself.  He has self control, which is something our society today is lacking as a whole.  And because of this, it will be hard for anybody to make William look like, or feel like, a fool.

William is sort of an ass

So I guess I'm the only one that doesn't like William much? He's just so condescending and has a total superiority complex. I mean, I have those things too, and I even love it when people hang on my every word, but unlike William, I have the decency to be a little less obvious about it. Oh, and, he wants to give Frances "the gift of his affection." Bleh! Hey, here's something it might have been nice if Tecia had told him in high school like she did many others - get over yourself! I'm not saying he's all bad or that Frances won't benefit from a romantic relationship with him, I'm just saying, give me a break already!

Romance at Last!

I have been hoping for true friendship or love for William , I really want a happily ever after here.

So much of of Charlotte words are poetry to me, I am under her spell and can't wait to keep reading.

I love the language of Bronte.

I love the language of Bronte. It does not have to be some far flung,  convoluted story with flamboyant characters, a twisted desultory denouement with clashes of high and lows, twists and turns, and an unpredictable climax that includes a writing of the senses painful and exquisite.  Just a simple little story using the "language of Bronte".  An intense pleasure.

I failed to mention in my last post that I thought Mr. Pelet was a lecherous old man!  He suggested that marrying any of the girls in his class would be a victory, both in love, class, and financial security.  But he made the suggestion lewd and in this position that would be the last thing he would want the professor to be thinking.  And then Mr. Pelet runs off with the not so intellectual but the shallow, manipulating Mde Reuter.  Actually they do not run off so you gotta ask yourself, what are his (Mr. Pelet's) intentions.

The girls in the class have no integrity or respect.  I believe this book was one of Charlotte's first novels but was first published after her death?  Is that correct?  At any rate, is she just practicing her craft of description and elocution when she delineates the characteristics of  Aurelia, Adele, and Juana? The girls, to be sure, are just shallow brats.  I have had some of them as students myself.  Trust me when I tell you, they do not have to be teenagers to elicit such personality traits. In chapter 12, after his decorous remarks about the girls he allows himself to degrade their Catholicism.  In fact, he hates Catholics.  Actually, he is not found of Protestants either. Chapter IX uses both sides of a tapestry to describe females "...to the tutor, female youth, female charms are like tapestry hangings, of which the wrong side is continually turned towards him; and even when he sees the smooth, neat external surface he so well knows what knots,long stitches, and jagged ends are behind that he has scarce a temptation to admire too fondly the seemly forms and bright colours exposed to general view.  But then he meets Mlle. Henri. End of Chapter 14 "I instantly inscribed 'Bon' at the bottom of the page, and returned it to her; she smiled, at first incredulously,  then as if reassured, but did not lift her eyes; she could look at me, it seemed, when perplexed and bewildered, but not when gratified; I though that scarcely fair.  (he's falling...) 

Near the end of Chapter XV beginning with the paragraph "She still pursued me.  'You will observe, monsieur, and tell me what you think; I could so much better rely on your opinion that on my own;  blah, blah, blah.  On a note I wrote "Oh please, Mde. Reuter, you are so full of it".

And in the beginning of XVIII,  somewhere in the middle of Paragraph 5, "I could hardly quit my station or relinquish my occupation; something retained me bending there, my head very near hers,and my hand near hers too; ..."  I wrote 'poor sucker, he's head over heals in love with the girl'.
Gotta love it!

Chapter XIX  First two paragraphs, what a treatise on life!  Hope, love, life!  Read it again.  It is glorious!  Next page when Mdme coily refuses to give Mlle Henri's address, William resigns.  Good man (although professionally you never divulge the whereabouts of a former student).  Her description of the graveyard is a grand touch, but meeting there by chance, after a month of intense search is a bit contrived.  But what a dunce.  He couldn't think of another way to leave her the money?  (I'm not checking this for spelling or grammar) You must admit, this is a good read.