Literature: News of Engagement
News of the Engagement — Arnold Bennett
Main Themes:
- Love *Family Relationships *Childhood
Characters: Philip, Mother, Mr Nixon, (Agnes)
Important Points to Remember:
- The story illustrates the process of Philip growing up. From being egocentric, thinking that he should be the only thing that his mother cares about, to being considerate and mature at the end of the story.
- Woman portrayed in the society:
The narrator, Philip, expects his mother to be a normal housewife. As a mother, the child is supposed to be the ultimate reality of life yet, she expects Mr.
Nixon to arrive at the door as they are engaged. How weak and “delicate” a mother is represented- “Mothers are kittle cattle”
*The fact that Philip’s Mother is already 45 years old, Philip assumes that his mother would no longer have any love affairs of her own. He stereo-types her as a women at the house, fulfilling the expectations of society in the 19th century of the role of a woman → to be a good housewife.
- “I was the only son of a widow” → shows that the son assumes that his mother is solely dependent on him, and he is her everything. That explains why he is not aware that his mother needs to find a partner. SELF-CENTRED
- The world revolves around him, so he expects his mother would be able to feel it. → OBLIVIOUS to his mother’s life or needs or feelings.
- Egoism
The story is set in first person from the narrator’s perspective, which manipulates how the readers think and leads to the twist in the story. He puts himself before everything and expects the world to revolve around him “I was all that my mother had” A simile is used to describe how his mother “hovered” around him “like a seagull hovering around a steamer”. He thinks he is more superior to his “little plump mother”. He “never thought of my mother as a woman with a future” as “his mind was full of Agnes”. Also, his self-centered attitude causes him shame as he then realizes that the world does not only revolve around him. He also pigeon-holes his mother as a mother with no future.
- Family
They are portrayed to be very close despite the fact that they both think that it was not a suitable time to reveal the secret that they’re getting engaged (→ Ironic “She couldn’t well have written, ‘ my dear Philip, an old friend, Mr Nixon, is falling in love with me and I believe I’m falling in love with him”) Mr. Nixon is showed to be a fatherly figure and is also called an uncle by the narrator, which shows irony, as Mr. Nixon will take on the role of being a father. The time to reveal the secret suggests that they both have similar mindsets, hence mother and son.
Relationships:
- Philip and his mother:
Humour and irony is suggested as he cannot confess his true feelings even to his mother. “But you can’t write even to your mother and say in cold blood: ‘I think I am beginning to fall in love with Agnes.” They are too embarrassed to talk about their ‘love affairs’ with each other, despite the close relationship.
- “I wrote to my mother regularly every week”
- “she had always other things to do; she was ‘preparing’ for me”
- “and she said, as usual, kissing me”
- Philip and Mr. Nixon:
The narrator considers him as his “mother’s trustee” and nothing further. It is least expected that he will become Philip’s father therefore jokes about him being “Uncle Nixon”. In the end, he is willing to accept the relationship and “shake hands” symbolizing the bond between them.
- Philip’s Mother and Mr. Nixon:
They are very close and “aided her in troublous times”. It is presented that his mother constantly waits for him behind the door and rushes the door with “tears in her smiling eyes, and she was as nervous as a young girl” when she is waiting for his arrival. This gives the idea that being in Love rejuvenates her.( → Love can rejuvenate the spirit of a forty-five year old woman, also suggested that even an aged widow can experience Love as well) This also shows the immediacy and eagerness which changes Mr. Nixon as the subject rather than Philip.
Characters
- Philip: A self-centered person who often pigeon-holes people, such as his mother, and Mr. Nixon, which of course he names “uncle Nixon” as a joke; engaged to AGNES. .
- Philip’s Mother: A widow, that is thought to have no future, but finds out that she falls in love with Mr. Nixon in the later stages of the story.
- Mr. Nixon: A person with a well established background, nice and is falling in love with Philip’s mother.
Setting:
- The setting – The mother’s home
- This also shows the safety zone (house) noted in the story which can show how Philip’s mother does not really want to face the reality and is uncomfortable if she is out of her safety zone.
- The drawing room has new incandescent light, and postcards, which suggest that the mother has “renewed” her life, and is being welcomed to a life with a complete family.
- Dinner table
- the supper is set for three – this suggests that there may be a surprise – this also relates back to the self-centered attitude of the protagonist, which shows how he only thinks of himself, and not his mother.
- A table is shown where a whole family settles down to share and communicate within the family, it is ironic that Mr. Nixon’s seat is also prepared although Mr. Nixon is not known as a father or part of the family in the eyes of Philip yet.
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