Path 2 Essays
Relatively Strong Samples

Wilkie Collins's Poor Miss Finch (Wk 13)

option one: who is this tale's most sympathetic character, and is s/he the novel's "hero"?

option two: what is the reader to make of Lucilla's repeated assertion, "'my love lives in my blindness'" (418, 424)?


Sample Student Response

The majority of the main characters in Poor Miss Finch are deserving of sympathy. Despite the title referring to Lucilla Finch, the character that is most sympathetic is Oscar Dubourg. In the beginning of the novel, Lucilla appears to the reader as the most sympathetic. She is not only blind, but seemingly destined to be forever a maid due to her father’s selfish love of money. As the story progresses and the reader is introduced to Oscar Dubourg, there is hope for Lucilla’s happiness. It is not till the end of the novel that Oscar proves to be the most sympathetic character. It is his hidden inner nature that creates this situation. Madame Pratolungo mentions this quality, “Once more I felt, what I had felt already, that there were hidden reserves of strength in the character of this innocent young fellow, which had utterly escaped my superficial observations of him” (386). Though not seen right from the start, Oscar has a strong passionate character that strives to do the right thing.

In the beginning, the reader sympathizes with Oscar about his past and the unfair trial. Then, after he is robbed and develops epilepsy, he competes with Lucilla for the most sympathetic character. He too now has a physical disability. He takes the Nitrate of Silver regardless of the horrid physical effects because he loves Lucilla and is willing to do anything for her. This choice turns around and tortures him afterwards when his sacrifice becomes his curse. The thing that he has done to save his relationship now threatens it. These unfortunate events, however, end in making him seem a weak man when despite good intentions, he is too afraid to tell the truth to his love Lucilla. In spite of this, one cannot help but feel sorry for him with these events. The determining factor of his character warranting the most sympathy comes when he lets his brother stay at Browndown to win Lucilla in Nugent’s own name. This sympathy triples when the Nugent’s betraying actions are revealed. Oscar, even in the end stays the better man, and forgives Nugent.

Oscar is the most sympathetic character of the story, but he is not the novel’s hero. Madame Pratolungo is the hero. If not for her, Lucilla would have never met Oscar and fallen in love with him. She brings the two together and does everything in her power to keep their love alive. It is true that she has faults such as favoring Nugent in the beginning and a short temper, but in the end she proves herself by not letting Lucilla end in a false marriage. She, ultimately, saves the day. She brings Oscar back to England and it is because of her intellect that Lucilla is able to see him. Madame Pratolungo is not the perfect hero character, but she serves the role well with her actions.
and has been more in the background. His most important role was proving to Rachel that the woodcuts were not real and beginning her realization of who Mauleverer really was. Rachel is too sensitive and overwrought to be able to receive information through different letters. Even her sister Grace agreed: “I hardly know how to send all this in the present state of things, but I believe you will wish to have it, and will judge how much Rachel will bear to hear” (498).The letters would have to be censored and some would not relate to Rachel at all. Her narration is already dominant throughout the novel, so it is necessary to give a refreshing break. Also, Rose’s information about her papa and the trial would not be as appropriate being sent to Rachel or Alick as being sent to the Colonel. Rose said in her letter, "I am afraid I was very naughty, but I could not help crying just a little when I found you had no come..." (489). This shows how she is more intimate with Colin. Ermine, being the love of his life, and Lady Temple, being his dearest friend, are of the same intimacy and the letters show it. Edward’s letter especially would have been out of place if they were to be addressed to either Rachel or Alick as he barely knew them at all. Yonge chose all the letters to be sent to Colin because not only was he the most logical recipient, the letters enable the reader to attain more depth into what happened and the other characters’ emotions and thoughts.

Dr. Paul Marchbanks
pmarchba@calpoly.edu