Memoirs of a Midget · Chapter
XXXII explained
Miss M.
What happens
Miss M. describes her disorienting transition to life at Mrs. Monnerie's London townhouse, contrasting its opulent formality with the homeliness of Mrs. Bowater's. She struggles with the servants, especially the sniffing maid Fleming, and feels like a tame, petted animal. She reflects on Pollie's wedding, which she missed, and sends gifts. A letter from Pollie reassures her. Miss M. also recalls her last conversation with Mrs. Bowater at Wanderslore, where they discussed Fanny, Mr. Crimble, and Mr. Anon. The chapter includes a long meditation on London as a dead, sprawling city, influenced by a strange picture of Jerusalem given to her by Mr. Wagginhorne.
Themes in this chapter
Class and Social Hierarchy
Miss M. feels out of place in Mrs. Monnerie's opulent home, struggling with the formality and the disdain of servants like Fleming.
Solitude and Self-Discovery
Miss M. reflects on her new surroundings and her past, trying to reconcile her old self with her new life in London.
Deception and Self-Deception
Miss M. remains silent about her true feelings with Mrs. Bowater, and the picture of London as a sleeping boar suggests hidden truths.
Characters to notice
- Miss M.
Narrator adjusting to life at Mrs. Monnerie's, feeling out of place and missing Mrs. Bowater's homeliness.
- Mrs. Monnerie
Hostess who transported Miss M. into high society; her townhouse is now Miss M.'s home.
- Fleming
Miss M.'s new maid with a pointed face and greenish eyes, who sniffs disapprovingly.
- Pollie
Former servant who married William; Miss M. sends her a cradle and tools as a wedding gift.
- Mrs. Bowater
Deeply missed by Miss M.; their last conversation at Wanderslore is recalled, discussing Fanny and Mr. Anon.
- Mr. Anon
The young gentleman who left Miss M. at Wanderslore; she feels a bond with him.
Key passages
“The spaciousness, the unnatural solitude, the servants who never so much as glanced at me until after my back was turned, the hushed opulency, the formality!”
The vast rooms, eerie quiet, servants who ignored me until I wasn't looking, and the stifling luxury and etiquette were overwhelming.
Miss M. describes the oppressive atmosphere of Mrs. Monnerie's house.
“I had to spend much more time in bewaring of faux pas, and in growing accustomed to being a kind of tame, petted animal—tame even to itself, I mean.”
I spent most of my time avoiding social mistakes and getting used to being treated like a docile, pampered pet.
Miss M. feels dehumanized by her new role in high society.
“It was nearly all dead, except for human beings, and that could not be said of Lyndsey, or even of Beechwood Hill.”
London felt lifeless apart from the people, unlike the natural vitality of Lyndsey or Beechwood Hill.
Miss M. contrasts the deadness of London with the living countryside.