An Event in Your Life

Chapter 1 The Bertolini abridgment We open in Florence at the subvention Bertolini, a allowance for British travelers. materialisationLucy H matchlessychurchand her cousin,Charlotte bartlett, ar bemoaning the poor rooms that they pretend been given. They were promised rooms with views. The two women sit at dinner in their bonus, along with the different guests. Lucy is disappointed because the reward hostess has rancid expose to be British, and the decor of the pension holdms lifted right out of a room in London. While throw off bartlett pear and Lucy talk, an old military personnel interrupts them to sort out them that his room has a nice view. The man isMr.Emerson he introduces his son,George Emerson. Mr. Emerson offers get out bartlett pear and Lucy a room swap. The men testament need the rooms oer the courtyard, and Lucy and Charlotte impart pip the more pleasant rooms that draw views. expend bartlett pear is horrified by the offer, and refuses to accept sh e begins to ignore the Emersons and resolves to switch pensions the following twenty-four hours conviction. Just and so,Mr. Beebe, a man of the cloth that Lucy and Charlotte bonk from England, enters. Lucy is de light slightlyed to meet virtually genius she k nows, and she shows it now that Mr. Beebe is here, they must stay at the support Bertolini. Lucy has perceive in letters from her amaze that Mr.Beebe has just accepted a role at the parish of Summer Street, the parish of which Lucy is a member. Mr. Beebe and Lucy adjudge a pleasant talk over dinner, in which he gives Lucy advice most the sites of Florence. This holiday is Lucys first time in Florence. Soon, almost of all timeyone at the table is giving Lucy and hightail it. bartlett advice. The torrent of advice signifies the acceptance of Lucy and dominate bartlett pear into the exhaustively graces of the pension guests Lucy nones that the Emersons are impertinent of this fold. afterward(prenominal)(pr enominal) the meal, some of the guests move to the mechanical drawing room. flatten bartlett wranglees the Emersons with Mr.Beebe Beebe does not swallow a very high persuasion of Mr. Emerson, further he thinks him harmless, and he believes no harm would draw come from bunk Bartlett accepting Mr. Emersons offer. Mr. Emerson is a Socialist, a term that is used by Mr. Beebe and misplace Bartlett with clear disapproval. drop down Bartlett continues to ask Mr. Beebe about what she should take over through with(p) about the offer, and if she should apologize, until Mr. Beebe becomes annoyed and leaves. An old chick approaches the two women and talks with Miss Bartlett about Mr. Emersons offer. Lucy asks if perhaps there was something bonny about the offer, even if it was not delicate.Miss Bartlett is puzzled by the question to her, bang and delicacy are the same thing. Mr. Beebe returns he has arranged with Mr. Emerson to wee-wee the women take the room. Miss Bartlett is n ot quite current what to do, further she accepts. She takes the larger room, which was occupied by George, because she does not demand Lucy to be obligated(predicate) to a little man. She bids Lucy penny-pinchingnight and inspect her unseasoned quarters, and she finds a piece of paper pinned to the toilet that has an enormous note of interrogation scrawled on it. Though she feels threatened by it, she saves it for George between two pieces of blotting paper.Chapter Two In Santa Croce with No Baedeker epitome Lucy looks out her window onto the delightful scene of a Florence morning. Miss Bartlett interrupts her reverie and encourages Lucy to begin her day in the dining room, they argue politely about whether or not Miss Bartlett should accompany Lucy on a fleck of sightseeing. Lucy is eager to go just now does not wish to tire her cousin, and Miss Bartlett, though tired, does not want Lucy to go alone. A clever lady, whose name is Miss abundant, intercedes. afterwards s ome discussion, it is agreed that Miss lucullan and Lucy entrust go out unneurotic to the church of Santa Croce.The two women go out, and have a digestly ( still not overly involved) conversation about politics and hatful they whap in England. Suddenly, they are lost. Lucy tries to touch her Baedeker travel picket, provided Miss ample will have none of it. She takes the guide book away. In their wanderings, they cross the forthrightly of the Annunziata the buildings and sculptures are the most beautiful things Lucy has ever seen, save Miss Lavish drags her forward. The women eventually r severally Santa Croce, and Miss Lavish spots Mr. Emerson and George. She does not want to run into them, and seems repel by the two men. Lucy defends them.As they reach the go of the church, Miss Lavish sees someone she effs and rushes off. Lucy waits for a while, but then she sees Miss Lavish wander down the street with her colleague and Lucy realizes she has been abandoned. Upset , she goes into Santa Croce alone. The church is cold, and without her Baedeker travel guide Lucy feels inefficient to correctly view the many renowned works of art housed there. She sees a electric razor hurt his foot on a tomb sculpture and rushes to help him. She then finds herself spatial relation-by-side with Mr. Emerson, who is also helping the child. The childs mother appears and sets the male child on his way.Lucy feels determined to be good to the Emersons despite the disapproval of the other pension guests. provided when Mr. Emerson and George invite her to join them in their little tour of the church, she knows that she should be pained by such an invitation. She tries to seem offended, but Mr. Emerson sees immediately that she is exhausting to behave as she has seen others behave, and tells her so. Strangely, Lucy is not angry about his ardour but is instead somewhat impressed. She asks to be taken to look at the Giotto frescoes. The ternion comes across a tour conference, including some tourists from the pension, led by a clergyman namedMr.Eager. Mr. Eager spews expositionary on the frescoes, which Mr. Emerson cordially disagrees with he is skeptical of the praise and romanticizing of the past. The clergyman icily leads the root word away. Mr. Emerson, worried that he has offended them, rushes off to apologize. George confides in Lucy that his baffle always has that effect on people. His fervency and bluntness are repellent to others. Mr. Emerson returns, having been snubbed. Mr. Emerson and Lucy go off to see other works. Mr. Emerson, unbiased and earnest, shares his concerns for his son. George is unhappy. Lucy is not sure how to react to this level and honest talk Mr.Emerson asks her to befriend his son. She is tight fitting to his age and Mr. Emerson sense much that is good in the girl. He hopes that these two young people can learn from each other. George is deeply saddened by flavor itself and the briefness of human exis tence this cerebral sadness all seems very strange to Lucy. George unawares approaches them, to tell Lucy that Miss Bartlett is here. Lucy realizes that one of the old women in the tour group must have told Charlotte that Lucy was with the Emersons. When she seems distressed, Mr. Emerson expresses sympathy for her. Lucy becomes cold, and she informs him that she has no need for his pity.She goes to join her cousin. Chapter Three medicinal drug, Violets, and the earn S Summary One day after lunch Lucy decides to play the piano. The vote counter tells us that Lucy has a corking wonder for playing she is no genius, but she is capable and passionate, always playing on the side of Victory. Mr. Beebe recalls the first time he heard her play, back in England, at Tunbridge Wells. She chose an eccentric and intense piece by van Beethoven. At the time, Mr. Beebe remarked to someone that if Lucy ever learned to inhabit as she plays, it would be a corking event. Now, Mr. Beebe mak es the same remark to Lucy directly.Miss Bartlett and Miss Lavish are out sightseeing, but it is raining hard outside. Lucy asks about Miss Lavishs figment, which is in progress. Lately, Miss Lavish and Miss Bartlett have become close, deviation Lucy feeling worry a one-third wheel. Miss Catharine Alan enters, complimenting Lucys playing. She discusses the impropriety of the Italians with Mr. Beebe, who half-agrees with her in a subtly and playfully mocking way. They discuss Miss Lavish, who once wrote a novel but lost the thing in heavy rains. She is working on a new book, set in upstart Italy. Miss Alan talks about Miss Lavish first meeting with the Emersons.Mr. Emerson make a comment about acidity of the stomach, trying to be helpful to another pension guest. Miss Lavish was drawn to his directness. She time-tested to stand up for the Emersons for a while, public lecture about commerce and how it is the heart of Englands empire. save after dinner, she went into the smokin g room with them. A few minutes later, she emerged, silent. No one knows what happened, but since then, Miss Lavish has made no attempt to be loving to the men. Lucy asks Miss Alan and Mr. Beebe if the Emersons are nice after some discussion, Mr. Beebe gives a qualified yes and Miss Alan a no. Mr.Beebe, though he does not say it, does not admire of the Emersons attempts to befriend Lucy. Mr. Beebe feels badly for the Emersons nonetheless they are thoroughly isolated at the pension. He silently resolves to organize a group outing so that everyone will have a good time. Evening comes on and the rain stops. Lucy decides to go out for a walk and enjoy the last arcminute of daylight. Clearly, Miss Alan disapproves and Mr. Beebe does not approve entirely. But Lucy goes out anyway Mr. Beebe chalks her behavior up to too much Beethoven. Analysis Music and Lucys relationship to her music is one of the novels themes.Mr. Beebes comment becomes the readers hope for Lucy perhaps one day she w ill play as well as she lives. Forster speaks in this chapters opening pages of musics primordial abilities. It can be the gift of anyone disregardless of social class or education. by means of Beebes statement, Forster is suggesting that these qualities also apply to passionate life-time. To live life well is within the delve of anyone, despite the prejudices and proprieties of Lucys domain of a function. Her choice of unusual Beethoven pieces is indicative of her passion. She needs more of an subject than music, but for now her music will have to do.Music puts her in touch with her desires and feelings the passion of Beethoven makes her resolve to go out alone, despite the disapproval of others. Chapter Four Summary Lucy goes out longing for adventure, hoping for something great. She buys some photographs of great artworks at a junk shop, but remains unsatisfied. She wanders into the Piazza Signoria it is nearing twilight, and the world takes on an aura of unreality. Nearb y, she sees two Italians arguing. One of them is taken with(p) lightly on the chest he wanders toward Lucy, trying to say something, and blood trickles from his lips.The light strike was actually a stabbing. A crowd surrounds them and carries the man away. She sees George Emerson, and then the world seems to fall on top of Lucy suddenly, she is with George Emerson, sitting on some steps some distance away. She fainted, and George has carried her here. She thanks George and asks him to fetch her photographs, which she dropped in the square when he leaves to get them, she tries to pilfer away. George calls to her and persuades her to sit down. The man who approached her is dead or dying. A crowd surrounds the man, down by the fountain, and George goes to investigate.George returns, and they talk of the murder. They walk back to the pension along the river, and George suddenly tosses something into the water. Lucy angrily demands to know what he threw away, suspecting that they migh t be her photographs. After some hesitation, George admits that they were. He threw them away because they were cover with blood. At Georges request, they stop for a moment. He feels something incredible has happened, and he wants to figure it out. atilt over a parapet, Lucy apologizes for her fainting and asks that he not tell anyone at the pension what happened.She realizes that he is not a chivalrous man, content he is a stranger to antique ideas of courtesy and propriety, but she also realizes that George is intelligent, trustworthy, and kind. She says that events like the murder happen, and that the witnesses go on living life as usual. George replies that he does not go on living life as usual. Now, he will want to live. Analysis Forster spends the first part of the chapter explaining Lucys character. She is naive, but she has some strength and passion. She is frustrated by the constraints on her gender, but she is also no firebrand by nature.She feels that she should be la dylike, in the old-fashioned sense of the word, but in practice she wants to be more publish and adventurous than that label allows. She feels her emotions most turbulently and deeply after she has played piano. Forster lots uses the landscape to mirror Lucys mood. After she absolute playing the piano, the rain cleared, mirroring Lucys tendency to know her own desires most clearly after playing music. As she wanders into the square, the world seems moved(p) by unreality. She longs for an adventure, and she is conscious of being in a different place and lacking(p) to see something rule.It is twilight, a transitional time between day and night, and Lucy is about to have a very confusing and key make. She is rescued by George, and she cannot seem to decide what to think about it. For his part, George is as reticent and strange as ever. Forster lets us into his characters heads, but with George and Mr. Emerson we have only their outward actions and dialogue. Lucys hold is conf using not only because she watches a man die, but also because she is not sure how to deal with George and how he makes her feel.She recognizes that he is not chivalrous or proper, but she sees goodness in him. She stops by the river and feels somehow comfortable with him, but she nervously asks him not to tell anyone that she fainted and he carried her. For George too, the acquaintance is important. For whatever reason, and in ways that Forster will not allow us to see directly, he is changed. He tells Lucy that he will not return to life as he lived it before now, he wants to live. The experience has made him appreciate life, perhaps in part because he shared something ludicrous with Lucy.