Temática do Livro
It is 1933 in Liverpool, an
harbourcity living mainly from the work in the docks. The America's Depression
has already reached Europe and lives in Liverpool with increasing misery and
unemployment. The Dobson's family runs a pub and lives upstairs. Eddie and his
wife, Eve, are in their forties and their three girls are teenagers. One day,
Doreen, a 24 years old girl, starts working in the pub and things start
changing for that family. Eddie is more and more fancy with Doreen.
One day, Eddie is no more there and
Eve gets all the responsibility for the pub and for raising up their three
children. She just face it and life continues.
Sobre o Autora
Lyn Andrews is one of the UK's top
one hundred bestselling authors reaching nr. 1 on the Sunday Times
paperback bestseller list. Born and brought up in Liverpool, she is the
daughter of a policeman and also married a policeman. After becoming the mother
of triplets, she took some time off from her writing whilst she raised her
children. Shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Award in 1993,
she has now written twenty-three enormously successful novels. She divides her
time between her home in Ireland and Merseyside.
Editora e N.º Páginas
Clays Ltd,
St Yves plc in Great Britain. The book has got 281 pages.
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Comentário
I would like to
start analizing the novel “A Mother's Love” by Lyn Andrews by the ENVIRONMENT. Environment can be
Physical –
formed by all the elements of the text as scenario where action develops and
characters move around.
Social –
formed by the different social layers assumed in the text. It includes also the
cultural layer.
Psychological – formed by the interior
areas of characters, this is, all marks in the text that show us the soul of
all those intervening in the action. It has to do with intimate liveliness and
therefore with problematic subjective time and the narrative perspectives.
The novel “A Mother's Love” by Lyn
Andrews shows us its first environment at George, the pub runned
by Eddie and Eve Dobson in Liverpool. “It was just a small hostelry on the
corner of Upper Dawson Street which opened out on to Williamson Square. There
was the salloon bar, the lounge bar – which despite Eve's efforts most people
still called the parlour – and a small smug. The living accommodation comprised
a large kitchen cum sitting room, three bedrooms, a storeroom and the privy in
the yard.” (p.3 l. 20-27) This is the central environment of this novel.
It follows
psychological and social environments about the Liverpool harbours, in
1933. It was about half past eleven in the morning (p.4 l.11) and Edward
Bevington came to the bar. The old carter had his cap pushed back revealing a
face so weather-beaten it resembled old leather. (p. 6 l.1-2) “- Have you
finished for the day? - asked Eve.
- Got one more load
this afternoon. Ships are coming in half empty and are going out the same way,
too. It's the Depression in America, but it's affecting trade the whole world
over. (p.6 l. 6.11-14) Put it on the slate, luv. You know I'm good for it next
Friday.
- You'll have me in the bankruptcy court yet!
(p.6 l. 21-22)
The man's good
humour deserted him and he stared gloomily into his pint.
- You and me both,
Eve, if things don't look up soon. This city's going to the dogs.” (p. 6 l.
22-25)
At that moment,
“the door opened and a group of men crowded in all wearing rough jackets,
moleskin trousers, mufflers, caps and heavy boots, the uniform of the poor
working class.
- No more work
then, lads? - asked Edward Bevington.
- Not a bloody
ship in sight!Over a thousand fellows on the stands this morning and only two
half-empty bloody freighters in eight miles of docks. I tell you, it's getting
bad, really bad.
- What's up with your face, Jacko? - asked
Edward Bevington.
- Some hard case
from the south end. You've to fight for work and I mean fight! - said
another grimly. - A crowd of bloody youngsters started it saying they never
get no work, it always goes to the older fellows and it's not fair. They've got
kids to feed, too. (p. 6-7 l. 26-41)
Jacko added morosely: - I'll be going on the
Parish myself at this rate.” (p. 7 l. 8)
“We are going to
put a 'No Credit' sign up over the bar – Eve said grimacing
apologetically.
- It's all right, girl, we've the price of a
pint! We're not looking for charity. - they said. (p. 7 l. 17-20)
Eve nodded
with some relief, but wondered just how when their wives were half demented
trying to make ends meet.
The lack
of money for managing their lives and their families lives also led men into
despair and suicide was increasing.
Agnes, Ted
Molloy's wife, said anguished to Eve:
- He …
he's … hanged himself!
Eve said
to her daughter Lily:
- Go
down and bring her four children up here at once; they can't stay in there.
- Will I go
for the doctor? - asked Sarah, the eldest Eve's daughter.
- No,
not yet. - answered Eve.
Suicide
was a crime. He would have to be cut down, the authorities would have to be
informed and arrangements would have to be made.
Agnes
explained: - He is on the landing. I thought he'd gone to bed early; he's
been doing that lately. He's been so depressed, so worried about having no job
and no money coming in and that lot on, the Board of Guardians wanting to know
everything, when he went to see, if he could get Parish Relief … The rent's not
been paid for weeks and the landlord's threatening to evict us and I've pawned
everything and … I was going to take him a cup of tea and I … I found him …
hanging … by his belt. (p. 27-28 l. 8-45)
Eve told
her: - I didn't know he was so desperate, but you know how quiet he was. He
never complained; bottled it all up inside. (p. 29 l. 4-7) ❐
Going on
studying Environment in the novel “A Mother's Love” by Lyn Andrews because it is
important to the reader, my text is about the epoch social environment
too.
1930’s
were very hard times after America’s Crash in 1929. Banks closed, firms were
closing too and consequently happened high levels of unemployed, countries with
very low levels of production and taxpay and this was happening at the same
time all over the world.
The story
of this novel goes on in 1933. It is March.
The author
describes us the very moments of planning and doing the March of Unemployment
to London in some different moments.
First in
the George pub when Fred says to Eddie:
‘You’re hitting the bottle hard tonight, Eddie!’
Eddie
pulled himself together ‘Got a lot on my mind, Fred.’
‘Who hasn’t these days? There’s some talk of a march about
unemployed!
Eddie
tried to look interested ‘Oh, aye.’
‘Like the Jarrow Crusade. Marching to London to take
our cause to the government. Things can’t go on like this. Half this city
(Liverpool) is unemployed. It’ll take a bit to get organised. You thinking of
coming with us?
(p.43 ll.4-13)
About
April, at The George, Arthur Lethbridge, an usually taciturn docker, informed
the others ‘There was a meeting.’
‘About what?’ asked Harry.
‘About
this march to London.’ Jacko answered.
‘Was anything at all decided this time?’ Eve
asked.
’Well
might you ask, Eve. I’m spitting feathers. I’ve been arguing for hours about
actually getting something done!’ Jacko took a deep swig and licked his lips.
‘I did, finally! We’re all going two weeks on Saturday. We’ve got to do
something!’ (p. 86 ll. 3-16)
Some days
after, Eve says to her daughters ‘I
promised Harry I’d give him a hand tonight. It will be busier later on. There’s
another meeting about the march! (p. 102 ll. 8-9)
The march
was going to happen!
Unemployment is now
in the main novel family, the Dobsons.
Unemployment was
the main drama of everyone, of the country, of the world as America's Crash
reached everywhere.
Just before Eddie
Dobson's disappearance, Lily Dobson, his daughter, was sacked from her job as
many others everyday.
“She came home from
work in tears.
- What's the matter, love? - Eve cried, seeing her
daughter's blotched and tear-stained face.
- I … I've got the
sack, Mam.
- What? Why?
- I'm eighteen next
week. - answered Lily.
- What's that got to do with it? - asked Eve.
- They said I'm too
expensive now. They've got another girl starting on Monday who's only fourteen.
- explained Lily.
- They can't do that. - informed Eve.
- Oh Mam, they can!
I remember just after Christmas they told Joan Parker the same thing; she was
in a terrible state.
Eve put her arm
around Lily's shoulder.
- Oh Lily, love, come and sit down. It's not fair!
It's just not fair!
- I never wanted to
be a seamstress, anyway. I hated it, but … but … we need the money.
- You'll get something else. - said Eve
comforting her.
Eve sounded far
more confident than she felt. Takings were fairly low and the future was still
uncertain; she did need Lily's wage even though it wasn't much. Every penny
counted, but she couldn't say so. She couldn't, couldn't upset Lily
further.
- What, Mam? There
are hundreds of girls like me. They only want someone really young that they
don't have to pay a half-decent wage to. - Lily sobbed. It was so unjust and so
humiliating. On top of everything else it was just too much.” (pp. 77-78; l.
24- 10) ❐
Still in social
environment, the author, in this book, describes the new fashion – cinema.
Lily is keen on
theatre and she wants to become an actress, but she accepts any job in a
theatre just for being there and pick up an opportunity when it comes.
In Liverpool, she
started looking for it in major theatres and, as she was not lucky, now she is
looking for it in medium size theatres hoping that there there would be a
chance.
Lily is back home
demoralised.
“What happened? - Eve asked her daughter
and Lily answered:
-They’re having to
close, Mam, for a while at least. They said business is so bad that it’s just
not worth their while even finishing the run they’re doing now. They aren’t
sure they will open again. They blamed the cinema again. People are going there
instead – when they’ve got the money.” (p.133 l.1-12)
Stork Hotel, in Liverpool, is the place
where Sarah works as a waitress. It was March. “Business was slack there. She
seemed to have spent most of the day just looking for things to do. There had
been few people for breakfast and even fewer for lunch and Mr. Stevens, the
headwaiter, had been impossible to please.” (p. 13 l. 3-7) July was very hot
and “the dining room had been stiffing and her head had been aching for hours.
There had been a large party of commercial travellers in for lunch. They had
been noisy, demanding and awkward. They’d had to much to drink too, which had
led to something of an argument over the bill and then one of them pinched
Sarah behind. She complained furiously” and in her mind she decided to find as
soon as possible other kind of job. (p. 167 l. 1-18)
Maggie and Billy,
talking about their future as a family, make plans. Maggie says to him ‘All we ever wanted was something of our own
and a nice house in nice area.’
Billy reinforces it
‘We’ll both work hard and we’ll have all that,’ (p. 60 ll.3-4)
Maggie confides her
Mam ‘Mrs McMillan is going to sell the
shop and Billy and I want to buy it. Billy says his granny will lend us the
money. Billy is her favourite. (p. 45 ll. 15-18) We want our own business. We don’t want to work ourselves into the
ground for someone else. (p. 46 ll. 1-2)
“Maggie knew where
good cheese could be bought wholesale. She‘d
thought of adding cheese and even butter to the things she and Billy would sell when they
took over the shop from Mrs McMillan. They intended to extend the range of
fruit and vegetables they sold.” (p. 74 ll. 26-30)
Things wouldn’t be
so easy. At the shop, Maggie worked “there had been no pleasing most of the
customers. There had been complaints that Mrs McMillan was buying inferior
produce and charging far too much for it. That hadn’t improved her employer’s
temper and Maggie had had to listen to a tirade of caustic comments from Mrs
McMillan on the characters of her regular clients. Since they would soon become
Maggie’s source of income, Mrs McMillan had insisted take advantage of her
experience and had gone on and on for what seemed like hours. Added to that,
her employer had had to go out on a matter of business so Maggie had had no
lunch.” (p. 81 ll. 7-17) ‘Thank goodness
Billy and I will be working for ourselves in the near future. That’s if she
leaves us with any customers at all. They’ve all been complaining and she’s
been like a bear with a sore head all day!’ said Maggie to her Mam and
sisters. (p. 82 ll.5-8)
The dress Maggie
wants to take to fiancé’s grandparents for tea will be home made by the
Dobson’s women. She bought the material with her savings from her work at
McMillan’s Greengrocer’s.
It will take place
on a Sunday. Maggie is apprehensive about this visit. “According to Billy, old Mrs Wainwright was a bit of a tartar and he’d
stressed how important it was that she approved of Maggie. All their plans
depended on it. Maggie got on well enough with Billy’s mam and dad, but the old
lady was a different kettle of fish. (p. 16 ll. 25-31)
Lily is an apprentice
seamstress and Maggie is banking on her skills. After supper,” the room was
filled with paper patterns, yards of material, reels of cotton and three rather
noisy impatient girls.” (p. 18 ll. 37-38)
Nevertheless still
annoyed that her visit to the theatre had had to be postponed, Lily held up the
yellow and white sprigged cotton her sister had bought. (p.19 ll. 18-20)
“Come on, Mam, get a needle and some cotton
and you can give us a hand with the tacking – Maggie urged eager to get on
with the task.
Eve laughed. ‘You
know I’m not much of a one with the needle and cotton! Why do you think I sent
you to be a seamstress?'
Sarah sighed Maggie
‘Why did you have to pick such a
complicated style? There seem to be a dozen pieces to this skirt.’
‘I liked it and
besides I want to make an impression.’ Maggie was struggling with a piece that
said “cut on a bias”. ‘Lily, what is a bias?’
‘It means cut it on the cross; like this. You really
would have been better with something easier and I’m still not sure about this
material. It looks sort of prissy and washed out. I suppose we could trim it
with something a bit brighter.’ (p. 25 ll. 6-24) Maggie didn’t like this
Lily’s comment.
‘Mam, you know I
have to make a good impression on Sunday. It’s important. It really is!’ – said
Maggie.
Eve sighed and
stared at her ‘I know it is. I know that
you and Billy want to get engaged. Don’t worry, you’ll have your dress and you
can borrow my good hat and bag. I won’t have old Mrs Wainwright looking down
her nose at you and not giving you a few bob. You’ll need every penny you can
get your hands on, marriage is no picnic at the best of times! (p. 40 ll.
7-16)
Then Lily asked
‘Who is going to give me a hand to get the sewing machine out and who’s going
to set up the iron and ironing board? If we can get the skirt and bodice
together tonight we won’t have done badly.’ (p. 42 ll. 12-15)
Maggie comments to
her mother ‘You see, Mam, how important
it is that she likes me. Really approves me.’
‘Now don’t go
getting yourself into a state about it. You’re a lovely, well-brought-up,
hardworking girl and you come from a decent, hardworking family’ explained Eve.
(p. 46 ll. 20-27). After two nights of frantic work, Maggie’s dress was finally
finished.
Sunday has arrived.
‘Maggie felt very nervous as the tram moved slowly out to the suburbs. It was a
lovely spring day after the stormy weather of yesterday.
As the little group
– Billy and his parents and Maggie – walked down the quiet street of well-kept
terraced houses found the door of number ten, Claudia Street was opened by a
small, stout woman dressed in a plain black dress with a gold brooch pinned to
the collar. Her hair was taken straight back in neat bun and a pair of
spectacles was perched on her nose. She looked formidable. (p. 65 ll. 12-38)
Hilda, Billy’s
mother, introduced Maggie to her mother ‘This is Maggie, Billy’s intended.’
Maggie’s heart sank
at the brusque reception, but she remembered Eve’s advice and followed Billy
into the small parlour.
‘So, you plan to get married?’ asked the old
lady. ‘You have got a very ambitious plan
and you’re very young.’
Maggie took a deep
breath. ‘It is, but we want something of our own; something steady for the
future. We intend to work very hard.’
The old Mrs
Wainwright thought that the girl was attractive, but steady, earnest and well
turned out. ‘I’d like to meet your Mam’
she said to Maggie and Billy was delighted. (pp. 55-68)
“The following
Tuesday evening, Maggie, her sisters and Mam were very busy putting the
finishing touches to the supper Maggie had insisted on providing. The kitchen
had been scrubbed and polished to within an inch of its life. A freshly, washed
and ironed cloth covered the table and Eve’s only cherished china tea, bought
piece by piece over the years, was set out in all its rose-strewn glory. Maggie
had bought ham and tongue for sandwiches and Eve had baked an apple pie and a
Victoria sponge cake.” (p.89 ll. 2-9)
At a quarter past
seven the Wainwrights arrived and Sarah and Lily, after being introduced to the
visitants, disappeared, Sarah to the bar to give a hand to Harry and Lily to
her bedroom.
After the first
greetings, Eve told ‘Shall we listen to
what these two have got to say for themselves?’
Maggie started ‘Billy
and I have decided that, if it’s not too much of a rush, Mam, we’d like to get
married at the beginning of next month. May is usually nice, weatherwise. Mrs
McMillan accepted our offer for the shop; she can’t wait to get it off her
hands and go and live with her daughter in Wales and she hasn’t had any other
offers. We’d like to do up those rooms before we move in! Billy’s father gives
him a hand with the rooms, his mother handles with the curtains and other
stuff.’
The old lady says ‘You should give the shop a coat of paint,
inside and out.’
‘How are you for
money?’ she asked Eve ‘He is my eldest grandson and I’m investing a good bit in
their future.’
Eve answered ‘I can manage to give her a decent do
although it will have to be here. I can’t run to fancy hotels or the like. We
can have it in the lounge bar; I can’t close the pub; I have a living to earn.’
(p. 90 ll.3-39)
‘Of course, dear!’
said de old lady ‘Business is business and I hear the brewery is giving you a
trial as licensee.’
Maggie intervened ‘I’ll have our Sarah and Lily as bridesmaids.
Our Lily will give me a hand to make my dress. I don’t want anything too fancy
or expensive.’
‘Who will give
Maggie away?’ asked the old lady.
Maggie informed ‘Well, if Mam has no objection I thought and
Billy agrees that I’d ask Harry Dempsey.’
Eve turned to the
old lady ‘You see, I’ve no brothers and neither has her Dad and Harry has been
a tower of strength. (p. 91 ll. 12-36) So, I’ll provide the reception and the
flowers too and I think I can manage something in the way of a wedding
present.’
Maggie said
immediately ‘I’ll pay for my own dress,
Mam, and there won’t be any need for a carriage. We can walk to church, give
the neighbours a chance to see me in my finery.’
‘Well, - said the
old Mrs Wainwright – I’ve agreed to lend them two hundred and fifty pounds for
the shop and the goodwill and I’ll give them thirty pounds as a wedding
present.’
‘That’s very good of you, Gran!’ said Billy and he
was delighted.
‘It’s very generous
of you.’ Maggie added.
Afterwards Eve and
Maggie served the tea and sandwiches, pie and cake and they all chatted
comfortably for a while longer, but Eve was relieved when the Wainwrights took
their leave. Old Mrs Wainwright invited both Eve and Maggie to call on her
whenever they liked.
‘What will you do
with all that money?’ Eve asked then.
‘I think we’ll save most of it. I don’t want to put
really good stuff above the shop. I’ll wait until I get a nice house.’ answered Maggie
to her Mam. (p. 92 ll. 7-31) ’She will
leave everything to Billy when she does die; he knows that.’ (p.93 l.
13)
The Dobson girls
meeting is about clothing for the wedding. Sarah mused ‘You don’t have bright colours for bridesmaids’ dresses. I wouldn’t
mind pale blue or pink or peach.’
‘Peach would be
better. The others are a bit wishy-washy. Or apple green? That’s nice.’ Lily
suggested.
‘Some people say green is unlucky for a wedding.’ Eve interrupted.
‘Then green is
definitively out. I’m not tempting fate.’ Maggie said firmly.
‘Do we have to pay for them ourselves? I haven’t got
much money.’ said Lily.
Sarah smiled ‘I
think I can manage to pay for the material for both.’
‘I said you’d help me make my dress, Lily. I don’t
want anything too fancy.’ Maggie added.
‘God, Maggie,
there’s not a lot of time to make three dresses.’ answered Lily.
‘Look, you can all go to Blackler’s on Friday night
and get the material and patterns and I’ll help. I can at least tack!’ Eve offered.
‘You’re going to
have to get yourself along to the fifty-shilling tailors, Harry!’ – Eve
informed him. (p. 94 ll. 11-35)
‘You’re not going to give me away in that old jacket
and flannel trousers, Harry Dempsey!’ said Maggie. (p. 95 l. 1-6)
On Friday, when
they returned from shopping, “they laden down with parcels, Eve suggested that
they spend the evening cutting out the paper patterns. ‘Then you can all make a
start tomorrow morning bright and early.’ said Eve.
‘This is really lovely, Maggie!’ she finished,
studying the simple, but elegant design on the front of the packet and
fingering the plain white satin gently.
‘Well, I didn’t
want anything too fancy; I’m too small to carry off frills and flounces.’ said
Maggie.
Sarah passed the
other pattern. ‘I thought Lily and I
could get away with the frill around the neck and sleeves.’
‘You can, you’re
both taller. What colour flowers will you have?’ Eve was determined to be
enthusiastic.
‘I thought peach and cream with enough greenery, so it
doesn’t look insipid.’ (p.97 ll. 9-28)
‘What colour will
you have, Mam? Billy’s Mam is thinking of navy and white. I think it’s a bit
plain, but she says it’s serviceable.’
Eve hadn’t really
thought about it. ‘Maybe I’ll have brown
and beige.’
‘Oh, Mam! Why not
pale blue or pink or even lilac? The weather will be warmer so they’d look
lovely and suitable.’ Maggie wanted Eve to look really nice. She wanted her to
buy something that would cheer her up.
‘I don’t care if he has left me for a young girl; I’m
still attractive.’ said Eve more to convincing herself. ‘I can’t afford to buy something I’ll not
get any wear out of.’
Maggie sighed. Mam
was right. ‘Well, why not go for a sort of cornflower blue with navy
accessories – bag, shoes? And you could get a blue hat.’ Maggie suggested. (p. 98 ll. 1-20)
Next day Eve said ‘I think we’d better make a start on
Maggie’s dress. It’s the most important.’
Lily nodded ‘If
we’re going to get it cut out you’d better get some sheets to put down or it
will get dirty.’
By Monday Maggie’s
dress had been cut out, tacked, fitted and part machined and they had made a
start on cutting out both Sarah and Lily’s dresses. Lily felt she had done more
than her fair share. She had shown Sarah how to set in sleeves, attach facings
and do the frills. (p. 100 ll. 18-33)
Some days after, Maggie put the teapot on the table and set out the cups. ‘We’ve got a few busy weeks ahead. Dresses
to finish, headdresses to make, Mam’s outfit to sort out and a hundred other
things.’(p.118 ll. 34-36)
Indeed the next few
weeks seemed to fly. Eve thought as she ordered food and flowers, made lists
and wrote out invitations, helped make the headdresses of artificial flowers
and bought her own outfit. Maggie and Sarah went with her to Frisby Dyke’s in
Lord Street where she chose a rayon twopiece in a beautiful deep cornflower
blue with a neat fitted jacket with a stand-up collar and a straight skirt with
two box pleats in the front. She bought navy blue court shoes, a bag and navy
cotton gloves. The outfit was completed by a large blue picture hat that
sported a navy bow at the back and two huge blue flowers attached to the left
side of the crown.
Harry had gone to
the fifty-shilling tailor’s and had bought a dark navy serge suit and a new
shirt and tie.
Lily had applied
herself diligently to finishing all the dresses and to helping Eve as much as
she possibly could. ( p. 119 ll. 1-21)
It was the night
before Maggie’s wedding day and she was sitting with her Mam in the kitchen. ‘I’m a bit nervous.’ Maggie admitted.
‘Every bride is. I
was!’ Eve smiled. She didn’t have any real worries about Maggie and Billy. They
were well suited and were getting the best possible start to their married
life. ‘You‘re a good girl and I’m really thankful for all the support you’ve
given me since –‘ in her heart of hearts she admitted that she would have liked
her Dad to give her away. ‘I’m so sorry he won’t be here, Maggie. You’re the
first of our girls to go.’ Eve said with some sadness.
‘I love you, Mam! I’ll never do anything to make you
ashamed of me.’
‘I know and I’m
proud of you, Maggie. I really am. I never thought a daughter of mine would end
up owning a business. God’s been good to you, Maggie. Be a good wife and
mother; that’s all I ask.’
‘If I’m good as you, I’ll have done well.’ Maggie said
sincerely.
Eve kissed her
cheek and smiled, but she wondered had she indeed been a good wife’? Her early married life hadn’t been perfect.
They’d lived with Eddie’s parents and at times that hadn’t been easy, but she’d
thought they were happy enough. Perhaps in those early days she had mistaken
his charm and tall, fair good looks for strength of character, generosity and
loyalty. Had she loved the idea of him
and not the reality of the man himself? She sighed. (p. 120 ll.7-p. 122 l.1)
Maggie and Billy’s
store started to be the place where Maggie worked before marriage. It was ”
McMillan’s Greengrocer’s and she was up and out early and had to stand for long
hours on her feet in often cold and damp conditions. She complained only that
her hands were a disgrace and her clothes got filthy.” (p. 16 ll. 15-18)
One day she comes
to her Mam and anxiously says “Mrs. McMillan, widow, is going to sell the shop
and Billy and I want to buy it as Billy’s granny will lend us the money. We
want to work for ourselves; to get our own business.” (p. 45 ll. 16-17)
Billy’s granny lent
them the money and they have bought the shop and upstairs where they would live
after marrying. The shop was looking badly, but “it was coming along nicely. It
had been given a fresh coat of paint which made it look brighter. Some new shelves had been put up to hold the
jars of jam, honey and lemon curd that she intended to stock, purchased from
the woman in the market who sold eggs and what she termed ‘Fresh Country
Produce’. New wooden bins for potatoes had been installed to replace the wicker
baskets which leaked dry soil and dust on to the floor and a new low display
counter had been added.
The rooms above it
were looking clean and Billy and his Dad had bought in Great Homer Street
Market. Hilda (Billy’s mother) had hung curtains and relined the kitchen
shelves with fresh paper and Maggie had bought plates and pans also from the
market and some good pieces of secondhand furniture from the auction rooms. She
was hoping to get some bedding and towels as wedding presents, but she was quite satisfied with
the way her new home and business were shaping up and she had managed to hang
on to most of the money Billy’s granny had given to them.” (p. 45 ll. 27-5)
Maggie didn’t get
the success she has thought about their shop. Sarah thinks that “their business
was not as well as Maggie hoped it would despite all their hard work because
there is still no work around and she is buying top-quality stuff and charging
high prices.” (p. 168 ll. 32-37)
Billy’s grandmother
died not long after and according to “Mrs. Wainwright’s will Jack and Hilda
received three hundred pounds and the rest of her estate which was nine hundred
and twenty pounds and her house in Claudia Street was entirely to Billy.” (p. 233
ll.31-36)
With this money
Maggie and Billy “bought another grocer’s on the corner of Commutation Row to
be run by Billy and Maggie runs the greengrocer’s until they buy a new house.
Then they will find other person to manage the greengrocer’s.” (p. 253 ll. 6-9)
Later on “they have
bought a nice house in Walton-on-the-Hill and have got two houses rented out in
Everton and a part share in Mam and Harry’s
pub (in Liverpool) and a property to rent out.” (p.277 ll. 16-23)
Now let’s go to Description which is a process of
giving information about characters, things, space and weather. It’s a moment
of pause in the events progression.
Let’s start
describing the main space in “A Mother’s Love” which is The George. “The George wasn’t a big fancy pub like some (in
Liverpool) where competition for business was fierce. There seemed to be a pub
on every single street corner. It was just a small hostelry on the corner of
Upper Dawson Street which opened out on to Williamson Square. There was the
saloon bar, the lounge bar which,
despite Eve’s efforts most people still called “the parlour” and a small smug.
The living accommodation comprised a large kitchen cum sitting room, three
bedrooms, a storeroom and the privy in the yard. Not exactly palatial, but she
had to admit it was a damned sight better than the slum houses most of their
customers were forced to live in, some of them five and six to a single room.”
(p.3 ll. 20-30)
Analysing it, it
can be said that this description goes from general to particular elements;
from front to back; from big plans to smalls plans (from the street to a room).
Stork Hotel, in Liverpool, was the place
Sarah worked as a waitress. “Business was slack there. There had been few
people for breakfast and even fewer for lunch.” (p. 13 ll. 3-7) July was very
hot and “the dining room had been stiffing. There had been a large party of
commercial travellers in for lunch “they had been noisy, demanding and awkward.
They had had too much to drink too which had led to something of an argument
over the bill and then one of them pinched Sarah behind. She complained
furiously.” (p.167 ll. 1-18)
Much more can be
done in terms of analysing descriptions, social environment, characters in this
very interesting book “A Mother’s Love” by Lyn ANDREW. That would be a delight.
I can really not mention one of the various sayings I have found on this novel “Two wrongs don’t make a right.” I
really like sayings. They transmit the native wisdom which is an ark for the
future generations and one can learn so much from it. Nevertheless I stop here my work over this
book. It’s time to change to another book, another story.
I hope others would
like to continue and find the same delight I had. It’s to become aware of other
epoch, other country, but though with so many things in common with us in
Portugal.¸
Os meus filmes
1.º – As Amendoeiras em Flor e o Corridinho Algarvio.wmv
2.º – O Cemitério de Lagos
3.º – Lagos e a sua Costa Dourada
