The Mill On The Floss: Summary Essay, Research Paper
The Mill on the Floss: Summary
The Mill on the Floss is a book written by George Eliot, whose real name
is Mary Anne (later Marian) Evans. There is a great deal of autobiography in
this book. The facts of Mary Anne’s life do not match Maggie Tulliver, but
there is an obvious reflection of her own life.
Book One: Chapter1-13
The novel opens up with a description of the countryside around the town
of St. Ogg’s and the river Floss. In the second chapter Maggie, Mr. Tulliver,
Mrs. Tulliver, and Mr. Riley are introduced. Mr. Tulliver states his intention
to send Tom to a different school. In the third chapter Mr. Riley gives his
advice about a school for Tom. In the forth chapter Mr. Tulliver goes after Tom,
while Mr. Tulliver is gone you learn about that Maggie’s mother is concerned
mainly with what her family thinks. In the fifth chapter Tom is home and you
learn that he cares for his sister Maggie deeply, and that Tom’s opinion is very
important to Maggie. In the sixth chapter the Tulliver’s are getting ready for
the aunts and uncles to arrive. In the seventh chapter the family arrives and
you are introduced to Mrs. Glegg, Mrs. Pullet, Mrs. Deane and Maggie’s cousin
Lucy. Mr. Tulliver states his intention to send Tom to school and it is met
with opposition. In the eighth chapter he goes to his brother-in-laws house to
demand the money that he owes him so that he can pay his wife’s sister Mrs.
Glegg. In chapter nine you read about the Tullivers going to visit the Pullets.
In the tenth chapter Maggie pushed Lucy in the mud because she is receiving
most of Tom’s attention. When Tom goes to tell on her she runs off and can’t be
found. In the eleventh chapter Maggie decides to run away to the gypsies, but
after learning how poor they were and how little of food they had she decides to
go back home. In the twelfth chapter you read that St. Ogg is named for it’s
patron saint who showed pity on a woman and child. St. Ogg is the town where
the Gleggs live. In the thirteenth chapter Mr. Tulliver borrows money from a
client of his old enemy Wakem.
Book One: Chapter 1-7
In the first chapter of this book Tom is at school, and he is Stelling’s
only student. Maggie goes to visit him in October. In the second chapter Tom
gets to come home for Christmas. Mr. Tulliver has a lawsuit against Mr. Pivart ,
his next door neighbor. It has also become known that Wakem’s son will be sent
to school with Tom. In the third chapter Tom is back at school and meets
Phillip Wakem. Philip Wakem is a small, deformed youth with a hump on his back,
but is an exceptional artist and story teller. In the forth chapter read that
Tom feels that Philip is an enemy. Tom and Philip get in an argument that left
Phillip crying bitterly. Tom bribes Mr. Poulter to let him borrow his sword and
keep it under his bed. In the fifth chapter Tom tries to make up the quarrel
with Philip, but Wakem does not respond. Tom tries to impress Maggie and drops
the sword on his foot. Also Maggie becomes very fond of Philip Wakem. In the
sixth chapter Philip sends all his extra time with Tom and Maggie. Maggie
kisses Philip in the library and promises to do so again next time she sees him.
In the seventh chapter Tom goes on at King’s Lorton until his fifth half year,
and Maggie is sent to boarding school with Lucy. Also Mr. Tulliver loses his
lawsuit against Mr. Pivart.
Book Three: Chapters 1-9
In the first chapter Mr. Tullver falls off of his horse and is found
insensible by the roadside. Tom ventures that Wakem is responsible and vows to
make him “feel for it”. In the second chapter Mr. Tulliver is found crying
over the things that she has to sell to pay the mortgage. Maggie reproaches her
mother for caring more about her possessions than Mr. Tulliver. In the third
chapter the aunts and uncles gather for consultation. They help by buying some
of Mrs. Tullivers good things. In the forth chapter Mr. Tulliver wakes up for a
while and becomes excited, but soon falls back to bed. In the sixth chapter Tom
goes to see his uncle Deane about a job. Mr. Deane gives him a job for no
better reason than he is his nephew.. In the sixth chapter the sale of Mrs.
Tullivers household goods is finally over. Bob Jakin, one of Tom’s childhood
friends, comes back to repay a favor. He offers them money, but they refuse it
saying that it is not nearly enough to help. In the seventh chapter Mr.
Tulliver slowly recovers but has lost track of time. Also Wakem decided that it
would be a good investment to buy the mill. In the eighth chapter the land and
the mill are sold to Wakem, and Mr. Tulliver agrees to be employed by Wakem as a
manager. In the ninth chapter Mr. Tulliver struggles with himself to keep his
promise to work for Wakem. Mr. Tulliver also has Tom write in the family bible
that he will never forgive Wakem, and that Tom must make him feel for it when
the chance comes.
Book Four: Chapters 1-3
In the first chapter you read that the religion of the Dodsons and
Tullivers is “of a simple, semi-pagan kind.” Family life on the Floss os much
like before. In the second chapter you read that Maggie is old for her years but
lacks Tom’s self command. Mrs. Tullivers uncontentment in this empty life is
less painful to Maggie than her father’s sullenness. In the third chapter Bob
Jakin comes to the house and brings books for Maggie. One is by Thomas a Kempis,
this book leads her to a new inner life .
Book Five: Chapters 1-7
In the first chapter Maggie who is now seventeen years old and darkly
beautiful tells Philip that she is glad that he has come, and they start meeting
secretly. In the second chapter Tom borrows money from aunt and uncle Glegg to
repay debts. In the third chapter Maggie feels that concealment is wrong and
that they should not meet secretly anymore. In the forth chapter Maggie returns
a book to Philip saying she did not like it because once again the fair-haired
woman stole all the love from the dark woman. Philip also declares his love for
her, but she says that she can do nothing about it because she does not want to
hurt her father. In the fifth chapter Tom finds out about her meeting Philip
and goes with her to meet him. He makes Maggie swear never to meet him again.
In the sixth chapter the Tullivers finally have the money to pay off their debts.
In the seventh chapter Tulliver meets with his creditors. He meets Wakem on
his way back home and knocks him off of his horse. Mr. Tulliver is whipping
Wakem when Maggie comes to restrain him. Later that night Mr. Tulliver gets
very ill and dies, before his death he would not forgive Wakem.
Book Six: Chapters 1-14
In the first chapter you read about Lucy Deane being courted by Stephen
Guest. Also Maggie is coming to stay with her. Mrs. Tulliver has been their
housekeeper since Mrs. Deane died. Stephen feels that Lucy is the sort of woman
to marry. In the second chapter Maggie comes and meets Stephen who finds her
beautiful and intelligent. He finds Maggie interesting but believes he could
never love her. In the third chapter Maggie tells Lucy she feels that Stephen
is too self-confident.. She also tells her the story of herself and Philip. In
the forth chapter Maggie goes to visit Tom, who is lodging with Bob Jakin, and
asked to be absolved of her promise not to see Philip. Tom agrees but says she
must give him up if she begins to think of Philip as a lover. In the fifth
chapter Tom tries to get Mr. Guest to buy Dorlcote mill, and says if it can be
bought he would like to buy it by working off the price. In the sixth chapter
Maggie is launched by Lucy into St. Ogg’s society. Also Maggie and Stephen are
becoming very aware of each other. In the seventh chapter Maggie sees Philip.
Philip recognizes that Maggie and Stephen are in love but he will not allow
himself to believe it. In chapter eight Philip tells his father that he wants
to marry Maggie. At first Wakem disapproves but then says that he can if she
will have him. In the ninth chapter Maggie helps Lucy in a booth selling large,
plain articles. Mr. Wakem comes and speaks to Maggie amiably. Maggie goes to
aunt Moss’s house and has told Lucy that she will speak to Tom about marrying
Philip, but she is still in love with Stephen. In chapter ten Stephen kisses
Maggie and she sends him away. She tells Philip she is leaving and will speak
to her brother. In the eleventh chapter Maggie has stayed with her aunt four
days before Stephen comes to see her. Stephen asks her hand in marriage and she
refuses, they exchange one kiss before he goes. In the twelfth chapter Tom
refuses to give his blessing for Maggie and Philip to get married. In the
thirteenth chapter Maggie tries to avoid Stephen but finds it impossible. She
ends up going rowing with him. Stephen asks Maggie once again to marry him and
she refuses. They rowed out way to far and ended up getting on a boat coming
toward them. In the fourteenth chapter Maggie departs from Stephen telling him
they can never get married.
Book Seven: Chapters 1-5
In the first chapter Maggie returns home to Tom, but Tom hearing of her
on the river with Stephen, and not being married, turned her out. Bob Jakin
took her and her mother in. In the second chapter it becomes known that Maggie
has returned unwed and she is cast out of society. Dr. Kenn tries finds her a
position at the church. In the third chapter aunt Pullet offers to take Maggie
in but she declines. There is also word that Lucy is no longer ill. Maggie
receives a letter from Philip and it makes her sure that no happiness in love
could make her forget the pain of others. In the forth chapter Dr. Kenn, unable
to find her a position, employs her himself as a governess to his children.
Lucy comes and visits Maggie and tells her that she is not angry with her and
that Maggie is better than she. In the fifth chapter Dr. Kenn has to let Maggie
because of rumors that he intends to marry her. Maggie receives another letter
from Stephen asking her to come to him, but she resolves not to go. She is
wondering how long it is until death. At that moment she feels water about her
knees, knowing at once it is the flood. Maggie is swept away in one of the
boats while trying to help Bob ready the boats. She paddles to reach the mill.
Tom climbs out into the boat. They set off to find Lucy. Huge fragments are
floating and people in a boat shout a warning , but Tom and Maggie are borne
down by the drifting masses. They disappear under the current “in an embrace
never to be parted.”