Memoirs of a Midget · Chapter
XL explained
The narrator, brooding over her insignificance and jealousy of Fanny, encounters the unexpected arrival of Adam Waggett at Mrs.
What happens
The narrator, brooding over her insignificance and jealousy of Fanny, encounters the unexpected arrival of Adam Waggett at Mrs. Monnerie's house. She receives a marriage proposal from Wanderslore and a letter from Sir W. P. about her finances, which she tears up in rage. Susan Monnerie questions her about Fanny and a possible marriage, leading the narrator to feel betrayed by Fanny's loose talk.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Self-Deception
The narrator deceives herself about her own insignificance and jealousy, while also suspecting Fanny of betraying her confidence.
Solitude and Self-Discovery
The narrator's brooding and introspection in the library, and her realization of her own vanity and loneliness, highlight this theme.
Class and Social Hierarchy
The narrator's concern about Adam Waggett's behavior reflecting on her social standing, and her fall from 'Court Favourite' to 'Court Fool' at Mrs. Monnerie's.
Characters to notice
- Unknown (Narrator)
Broods over her jealousy and insignificance, receives a marriage proposal, and confronts Susan about Fanny's betrayal.
- Adam Waggett
Appears unexpectedly in the library, causing the narrator to panic and instruct him to forget their past and not address her in company.
- Fanny Bowater
The narrator's jealousy of Fanny's social success and her suspected betrayal of the narrator's private matters are central to the chapter.
- Susan Monnerie
Questions the narrator about Fanny and a possible marriage, revealing that Fanny may have spoken about the narrator's private affairs.
- Marvell
Discreetly enters the library to adjust a newspaper, hinting at the electrical disturbance caused by the thunder.
- Sir W.
Sends a letter about the narrator's finances, which she tears up in anger.
Key passages
“Life became a continuous game of chess, the moves of which at times kept me awake and brooding in a far from wholesome fashion in my bed.”
The narrator feels like a pawn in a game she cannot control, leading to sleepless and bitter thoughts.
Reflects her sense of powerlessness and jealousy.
“I was sullenly stewing in my thoughts in the library one morning over a book which to this day I never weary of reading; Gilbert White’s Natural History of Selborne.”
The narrator tries to escape her troubles by reading a natural history book, but is interrupted.
Highlights her attempt to find solace in nature and learning.
“It ended with a proposal of marriage. In most of the novels I have read, the heroine simply basks in such a proposal, even though scarcely her fingertips are warmed by its rays. For my part, this letter, far from making me happy or even complacent, produced nothing but a feeling of fretfulness and shame.”
Unlike typical heroines, the narrator feels ashamed and troubled by the marriage proposal.
Shows her complex feelings about love and social expectations.
“I saw myself—gossamer veil, dwarfed orange-blossom, and gypsophila bouquet, all complete.”
The narrator imagines herself as a dwarf bride, mocking the idea of her own marriage.
Reflects her self-deprecating humor and anxiety about her size and social role.
“From being Court Favourite I gradually sank to being Court Fool.”
The narrator's status at Mrs. Monnerie's declines from favored to ridiculed.
Illustrates her fall in social standing and increasing isolation.
