THE MILL ON THE FLOSS BY GEORGE ELIOT

SHORT ANSWERS

THE MILL ON THE FLOSS BY GEORGE ELIOT
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(i) Write the names of four novels of George
Eliot.
Ans. Adam Bede (1859), The Mill on the
Floss (1860), Silas Marner (1861), Romola
(1863), Felix Holt, the Radical (1866),
Middlemarch (1871-72) and Daniel Deronda
(1876) are the novels of George Eliot.
(ii) What does the Floss symbolize in 'The
Mill on the Floss'?
Ans. River Floss stands for the cause of
sustenance as well as ruin for the Tullivers.
However, the Floss is related most often to
Maggie, and the river, with its depth and
potential to flood, symbolizes Maggie's
deeply running and unpredictable emotions.
The river's path, nonexistent on maps, is
also use to symbolize the unforseeable path
of Maggie's destiny.
(iii) What purpose does animal imagery
serve in 'The Mill on the Floss'?
Ans. Tom and Maggie are associated with
animal imagery. The imagery is usually of
farm-type animals -- ponies, dogs, ducks --
and usually points to the character's
capacity for affection or non-adherence to
social convention. Following Darwin, Eliot
uses this imagery also to gesture towards
the wider relation between humans and
animals that can be especially seen in young
children.
(iv) What is the symbolic importance of
music in 'The Mill on the Floss'?
Ans. Music represents the better life, for
which Maggie spends the entire book
searching. This sort of "musical" life is one
of deep emotion and energy. Music has the
ability to create an entire world here, and it
is often depicted as a safe heaven from
harsh reality. Both Philip and Maggie take
comfort and joy in music. Music is also a
way to experience and express heightened
emotions.
(v) What are George Eliot's views on
education?
Ans. "The Mill on the Floss" is a sensible
analysis of what education really means. She
shows that education should be adapted to
the individual's talent; tradition and snob
appeal have no place in modern education.
Latin and Greek are suitable for those people
who have a genuine interest in humanistic
studies. She makes a strong case for the
need of well-trained teachers.
(vi) What are the major themes of 'The Mill
on the Floss'?
Ans. Loss of innocence, the difficulty of
choice, the claim of the past upon present
identity, the importance of sympathy, the
effect of society upon the individual,
communal verses individual interests,
progress verses tradition, practical
knowledge verses bookish knowledge, gender
disparity and love are the major themes of
"The Mill on the Floss".
(vii) Interpret 'The happiest women, like the
happiest nations, have no history'.
Ans. This line is from George Eliot's novel
"The Mill on the Floss". It points that
happiness fades away one's past or history.
The happiest nations enjoy themselves with
their present and hardly have any
reminiscence of their past. Similarly the
happiest women are usually private
individuals who do not have a public image,
therefore, they have no history.
(viii) Interpret 'I desire no future that will
break the ties of the past'.
Ans. In this line Maggie sums up her views
on the role of the past in her life and in her
choices. Though she has a substantial
history with Philip, her ties with Tom are
older and are therefore stronger to her.
Maggie refuses to let go of her past, but she
has to grant weight to her oldest memories
and bonds.
(ix) Who is Maggie Tulliver?
Ans. Maggie Tulliver is the protagonist of the
novel "The Mill on the Floss". She is a
hugely complex character. She is the
intelligent, clever and emotionally sensitive
daughter of a country mill-owner. Her
closest tie is to her brother Tom. She has
dark skin, dark hair, and dark eyes. Her life
is the central story of the novel.
(x) What sort of commitments does Maggie
feel she has broken when she elopes with
Stephen?
Ans. Stephen is engaged to Lucy. Maggie
thinks that she has proved false to Lucy and
violated a social canon through her
elopement with Stephen. She feels guilty
that her elopement will also hurt her lover,
Philip. Thus she returns before the
elopement with Stephen has led to sexual
intercourse.
(xi) What is the significance of Maggie's
sewing?
Ans. Maggie's sewing shows that she has
been in financial difficulty. Sewing, in
general, represents a way of repressing and
controlling the self. The paraphernalia of
sewing, especially needles and scissors, take
a sinister connotation in "The Mill on the
Floss. Scissors are damaging to Lucy and
needles are fatal to Maggie's physical
desires.
(xii) What is the significance of Maggie's
encounter with gypsies when she runs away?
Ans. Maggie has a romantic view of gypsies.
In running away to the gypsies, Maggie is
motivated mainly by desire of admiration.
She is somewhat conceited about her
learning. However, after her encounter with
gypsies, she sees her mistake. She goes in
repentance and self-blame.
(xiii) What are Maggie's intentions towards
the gypsies?
Ans. There are three intentions of Maggie
towards the gypsies; she wishes to live with
them, she wants to teach them, and be their
queen.
(xiv) What role does the town of St. Ogg's
perform in hastening Maggie's tragedy?
Ans. St. Ogg's is a town ruled by gossip,
rumors and prejudices. It is a tightly-knit
community for better or worse. And it is for
worse for Maggie. Maggie is shunned by
nearly everyone here. Tom refuses to have
anything with her. The river floods and
Maggie is swept away in a boat. She goes to
rescue Tom. However, both Maggie and Tom
drown in the flood.
(xv) Who is Tom Tulliver?
Ans. Tom Tulliver is the Tullivers' older son.
He has his own clear sense of duty, justice,
and fairness. He has affection for his sister
Maggie, but he dislikes her impetus way of
doing what she wants. When Mr. Tulliver
goes bankrupt, Tom goes to work at a young
age and brings the family out of debt.