Cranford

I finally finished Cranford!
I started it ages ago but one thing after another prevented me from getting time to read it. Mostly... every time I sat down the last two weeks I started to itch and scratch. (Poison Oak and it's effects lasts sooooo long) I have kept myself busy the last little bit cooking, cleaning and anything that kept my hands busy. I have also spent a good amount of time practicing the piano. Anything to keep my hands and brain busy. But reading books has been difficult. Even reading to the kids has been a bit hard but with three of them piled on my lap and around me I am usually able to get through a few.

Anyway.... Cranford.

I was introduced to Elizabeth Gaskell through the BBC mini series, Wives and Daughters. (If you haven't seen it then you really NEED to.) I quickly went to the library to read the novel. It was even better then the movie and filled in so much more of the back story. Then came North and South, another BBC series. I love it as well and then had to read that novel. I heard that Gaskell's novel Cranford was being filmed so this time I thought I would actually read the book first. Sometimes this is a good thing and sometimes it isn't. We will see tomorrow when I get to see the first part of the film. It shows on Masterpiece Classics Sunday night.

As for the book. It is a interesting look at a close nit society of women. Spinsters and widows don't sound like a really interesting subject but it is always fun to see how woman never really change. Through this series of short little stories, Gaskell tells us about the life these ladies lived in a country village. Each character is somewhat a sterotypical woman character. You have one who gets all the gossip. Another that everyone just loves because she is so sweet and nice. And of course you have to have the high and mighty one that everyone else refers to and wants to get approval from.

Gaskell protrayed these ladies with all their foibles, and with a reality that I could recognize because they are the same thing I can see today. Through out the book she refers to the ladies "little economies" or what they choose to do to save money on certain items. But they still want to appear like they don't have to economize. Or she refers to how ill at ease they felt when caught in their everyday clothes rather then the nicer things they put on when visitors are expected. This made me think about the countless times I have quickly shoved a bunch of toys and what not into my bedroom when someone is expected because I don't want them to think we live such a cluttered home. We all want to appear at our best and let everyone think that is how we live all the time.

I am excited to revisit these characters through the film. I have read a few reviews that have said that the writers added a few characters and stories from other Gaskell works. I hope this doesn't bother me too much. And no doubt I will have to find these other stories and read them.