The Mill on the Floss · Chapters

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Chapter companions for The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot.

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Chapter 1
Book I: Boy and Girl
This opening chapter introduces the Tulliver family, focusing on Mr. Tulliver's decision to send his son Tom to school and the contrasting natures of Tom and his sister Maggie. It sets up the family dynamics, social aspirations, and the tensions between duty, education, and personal desire.
Chapter 2
Outside Dorlcote Mill
The narrator describes the landscape around Dorlcote Mill and the River Floss on a February afternoon, then reveals it was a dream before introducing Mr. and Mrs. Tulliver talking by the fire.
Chapter 3
Mr. Tulliver, of Dorlcote Mill, Declares His Resolution About Tom
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.
Chapter 4
Mr. Riley Gives His Advice Concerning a School for Tom
Mr. Tulliver seeks advice from Mr. Riley about sending his son Tom to a new school. Mr. Riley recommends a clergyman named Mr. Stelling, praising his education and character. Mrs. Tulliver expresses concerns about housekeepers and the cost, but Mr. Riley reassures her. Mr. Tulliver worries that a parson might be too learned for a boy destined for business, but Mr. Riley argues that clergymen make the best schoolmasters. The chapter ends with Mr. Tulliver considering the recommendation.
Chapter 5
Tom Is Expected
Maggie is disappointed she cannot accompany her father to fetch Tom home. In a fit of defiance, she wets her hair to avoid curls, then retreats to the attic where she vents her frustrations on a wooden doll. A sudden beam of sunshine draws her outside, where she whirls joyfully at the prospect of Tom's return. She visits the mill with Luke, discussing books and her love for Tom, but learns that Tom's rabbits have died under her neglect, causing her distress.

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Book I: Boy and Girl

Outside Dorlcote Mill

Mr. Tulliver, of Dorlcote Mill, Declares His Resolution About Tom

Mr. Riley Gives His Advice Concerning a School for Tom

Tom Is Expected