Villette: Week Five

Week five and I'm finally caught up and not rushing to read this week's chapters (21-25) - Yay for me!  As far as the book goes, well its going.  I'm not hating it at the moment, so that is a vast improvement.  However, I'm still not loving it.  Don't get me wrong, Bronte does have a way with words - after all,  I do find myself chuckling now and again or rolling my eyes in annoyance at Lucy's lack of behaviour. 

Let's see, we are now back at school and Lucy is receiving letters from Dr. John. He promised to write her and she didn't believe he would and so when she got his first letter she ran to hide it away so that she could save it for later.  That actually made me pity poor Lucy - she always makes herself out to be rather pathetic.  Anyhow, she is reading her letter and relishing it, when out of nowhere an apparition of a nun appears before her and scares the frack out of her to the point that she rushes downstairs and tells the adults that there is someone hiding upstairs - Dr. John happens to be there and they all rush upstairs and find no one, which is when Lucy realizes her letter is missing - where has it gone?  Well, it seems John found it and so he gives it back to her when he sees how overwrought she is about losing the letter. I think he even feels sorry for her, because she is treating the letter like its her most prized possession.  And so they continue to exchange letters for a bit and then we find Lucy and Dr. John together at a show, whereupon they rush to the aid of this poor young girl - who winds up being a blast from the past for them both.  Yes, it is the return of Polly!  Finally! I was wondering when she would show up again - of course her identity is not revealed to Dr. John or Lucy at that time.  And so the story progresses to where we find Lucy wondering why she hasn't received word from Dr. John in such a long time - she begins to think something dreadful has happened to him and doesn't eat because she is so worried and feeling rather depressive (those darn nerves of hers - curse them!).   After seven weeks of nothing, she finally receives a letter from her godmother.  Disappointed its not from Dr. John, Lucy reasons with herself that at least she now knows they are fine and still think of her.  In fact, they have invited her to stay with them over this half-holiday weekend. And, it is at casa de Bretton that Lucy is finally reintroduced to Polly.  Yes, Polly has finally entered the picture (she was the young girl from the show that they rushed to help - how they didn't realize it then that it was Polly is beyond me.  I knew it was her from the moment they begin to describe her minute stature and delicate features, plus when John asked Lucy if the girl was a child that really clinched it for me). From Lucy's observations (which is all the book really is), we find that Polly and Dr. John have rekindled their old friendship and the love bug has bitten them both.  I had hoped it would be Lucy and Dr. John finding love with each other, but looks like Polly has replaced Lucy in that equation.  Hmmm. I wonder what Ginerva would think.  Oh, that's right, she's related to Polly and is beyond annoyed to find Isidore fawning over Polly.  I don't think she's going to be too happy when she finds out that Polly will be attending her school - apparently, Papa wants Polly to get educated and
Madame Beck's school happens to be in Villette and Lucy teaches there, so there you have it - a match.  My questions now are:   What will happen between Lucy and Dr. John, now that all his attention is diverted toward Polly?  Will Polly and Dr. John marry? Will Ginerva scream in rage and tear her hair out when she finds out Dr. John chose Polly over her?  Will Lucy ever do anything, besides blend in with the tapestries and wallpaper?  I suppose I'll find out soon enough. 
 
Happy Reading!!