# Mr. Tulliver, of Dorlcote Mill, Declares His Resolution About Tom explained — The Mill on the Floss

> Chapter companion for The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot.

## What happens

Mr. Tulliver announces his plan to give Tom a good education so he can become a surveyor or auctioneer, not a miller. Mrs. Tulliver suggests consulting the aunts and uncles, but Mr. Tulliver refuses. The conversation shifts to Maggie's wildness and her mother's frustration with her unruly hair and behavior.

## Themes in this chapter

### Education and Self-Improvement

Mr. Tulliver's desire to give Tom a 'good eddication' to secure his future and avoid the pitfalls of lawsuits.

### Gender Roles and Limitations

Maggie's intelligence is seen as problematic for a girl; Mrs. Tulliver's focus on appearance and domestic skills.

### Family Obligation and Conflict

Mr. Tulliver's defiance of consulting the aunts and uncles; Mrs. Tulliver's concern about family opinions.

## Character check-ins

### Mr. Tulliver

Declares his resolution to give Tom a good education and dismisses the idea of consulting the aunts and uncles.

### Mrs. Tulliver

Suggests killing fowl for a family dinner to discuss Tom's education; frets over Maggie's wildness and hair.

### Tom Tulliver

Subject of his father's educational plans; described as slowish and taking after his mother's family.

### Maggie Tulliver

Enters after wandering by the water; described as 'too 'cute' and wild, with unruly hair; refuses to do patchwork.

### Lucy Deane

Mentioned as Maggie's cousin with perfect curls, contrasting with Maggie's appearance.

## Key lines

> What I want, you know, is to give Tom a good eddication; an eddication as'll be a bread to him.

Mr. Tulliver wants Tom to have a practical education that will provide for his livelihood.

_Mr. Tulliver's core motivation for Tom's schooling._

> But I should like Tom to be a bit of a scholard, so as he might be up to the tricks o' these fellows as talk fine and write with a flourish.

Mr. Tulliver wants Tom to be educated enough to outsmart smooth-talking men in business.

_Mr. Tulliver's pragmatic view of education as a tool against deceit._

> It's no mischief much while she's a little un; but an over-'cute woman's no better nor a long-tailed sheep—she'll fetch none the bigger price for that.

Mr. Tulliver thinks Maggie's cleverness is harmless now but will be a disadvantage for a woman later.

_Reflects contemporary views on female intelligence and marriageability._

## Links

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