A Societal Ideal
Wilkie collin’s detective novel, “The Moonstone,” thrusts us into Victorian society through the lives of several different characters. The characters come together in hopes of solving the mystery of who stole the moonstone diamond and each takes a turn narrating their own story. As each narrator picks up from the point at which the previous narrator stops, the reader gets a sequential tale of the events, as they unfold. In other words, they relay the facts (along with their truths or biases) to the best of their knowledge, of the events leading up to and following, the scandalous theft of the precious stone. It is through the narrative of a particular character that Collins positively suggests that an ideal vision of society exists. This societal ideal is knowledge based, and, one in which success or happiness depends on how we use our inquisitive knowledge.
The disappearance of the diamond engages each character on a quest to get to the bottom of the mystery. This search for the truth behind the missing stone shows us that each character has a keen sense and desire for knowledge. Along this quest for answers, a particular character whom the reader can readily identify with because of his “everyman” qualities (such as his delightful sense of humour or his simple conservative views), is Gabriel Betteredge. As one of the first and major narrators in the story, he is an excellent example of how inquisitive knowledge, can lead to both success and happiness. Despite having enormous suspicion fall over the Verinder household and accusations thrust upon members of his small community, he refuses to allow his own person lose sight of his own self knowledge. In his moments of “detective fever” we see his inquisitive knowledge shine through as he, with the help of his “Robinson Crusoe,” remain true to his mannerisms and ways (from the beginning to the end of the novel). Within the opening page of the novel, he quotes from his Robinson Crusoe book: “Now I saw, though too late, the Folly of beginning a work before we count the cost, and before we judge rightly of our own strength to go through with it” (8). Betteredge puts forth this idea because here we have him, along with the other characters, starting a work (of solving a mystery). He suggests it is unwise to start this detective work without knowing what price one will have to pay if one does not know what the situation is and whether or not the situation is in our own means of handling. In other words we need to have knowledge. As the story progresses and streams of speculation and “paranoia” affect the many characters, Betteredge remains constant in his beliefs and self knowledge. In fact, as Sergeant Cuff makes speculative claims regarding Miss Rachel (which in the end are mostly proved false), Betteredge says: “I am (thank God!) constitutionally superior to reason. This enabled me to hold firm to my lady’s view, which was my view also” (166). His lady’s views, and therefore his views as he says, are that Rachel is innocent of any crime. This shows us how he refuses to let any other views override his own, even if there may be some truth to them (because of Rachel’s inexplicable and irrational behavior following the theft of the diamond Cuff’s accusations are understandable). Furthermore he trusts himself to make the better judgment call. He figures that Cuff, is less knowledgeable than he is because unlike him, Cuff has not known these people for a very long time. In this sense he is saying we should trust what we already know (just as he trusts what he already knows), and put ourselves ‘superior’ to other peoples reasoning. By the end of the novel, the mystery is solved, and Betteredge proves that a little bit of inquisitive knowledge is really a good thing for society. Not only does his ‘detective fever’ help solve the Moonstone mystery, but also, it helps build a positive resolution to the societal dilemma. It just goes to show that it is therefore imperative that the self knowledge each individual has, whether right or wrong, be used to a certain extent. In the end it is still better to take it upon our selves to resolve certain issues than to depend upon others for their help.
Work cited
Collins, Wilkie. The Moonstone. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
Wilkie collin’s detective novel, “The Moonstone,” thrusts us into Victorian society through the lives of several different characters. The characters come together in hopes of solving the mystery of who stole the moonstone diamond and each takes a turn narrating their own story. As each narrator picks up from the point at which the previous narrator stops, the reader gets a sequential tale of the events, as they unfold. In other words, they relay the facts (along with their truths or biases) to the best of their knowledge, of the events leading up to and following, the scandalous theft of the precious stone. It is through the narrative of a particular character that Collins positively suggests that an ideal vision of society exists. This societal ideal is knowledge based, and, one in which success or happiness depends on how we use our inquisitive knowledge.
The disappearance of the diamond engages each character on a quest to get to the bottom of the mystery. This search for the truth behind the missing stone shows us that each character has a keen sense and desire for knowledge. Along this quest for answers, a particular character whom the reader can readily identify with because of his “everyman” qualities (such as his delightful sense of humour or his simple conservative views), is Gabriel Betteredge. As one of the first and major narrators in the story, he is an excellent example of how inquisitive knowledge, can lead to both success and happiness. Despite having enormous suspicion fall over the Verinder household and accusations thrust upon members of his small community, he refuses to allow his own person lose sight of his own self knowledge. In his moments of “detective fever” we see his inquisitive knowledge shine through as he, with the help of his “Robinson Crusoe,” remain true to his mannerisms and ways (from the beginning to the end of the novel). Within the opening page of the novel, he quotes from his Robinson Crusoe book: “Now I saw, though too late, the Folly of beginning a work before we count the cost, and before we judge rightly of our own strength to go through with it” (8). Betteredge puts forth this idea because here we have him, along with the other characters, starting a work (of solving a mystery). He suggests it is unwise to start this detective work without knowing what price one will have to pay if one does not know what the situation is and whether or not the situation is in our own means of handling. In other words we need to have knowledge. As the story progresses and streams of speculation and “paranoia” affect the many characters, Betteredge remains constant in his beliefs and self knowledge. In fact, as Sergeant Cuff makes speculative claims regarding Miss Rachel (which in the end are mostly proved false), Betteredge says: “I am (thank God!) constitutionally superior to reason. This enabled me to hold firm to my lady’s view, which was my view also” (166). His lady’s views, and therefore his views as he says, are that Rachel is innocent of any crime. This shows us how he refuses to let any other views override his own, even if there may be some truth to them (because of Rachel’s inexplicable and irrational behavior following the theft of the diamond Cuff’s accusations are understandable). Furthermore he trusts himself to make the better judgment call. He figures that Cuff, is less knowledgeable than he is because unlike him, Cuff has not known these people for a very long time. In this sense he is saying we should trust what we already know (just as he trusts what he already knows), and put ourselves ‘superior’ to other peoples reasoning. By the end of the novel, the mystery is solved, and Betteredge proves that a little bit of inquisitive knowledge is really a good thing for society. Not only does his ‘detective fever’ help solve the Moonstone mystery, but also, it helps build a positive resolution to the societal dilemma. It just goes to show that it is therefore imperative that the self knowledge each individual has, whether right or wrong, be used to a certain extent. In the end it is still better to take it upon our selves to resolve certain issues than to depend upon others for their help.
Work cited
Collins, Wilkie. The Moonstone. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
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