The document provides a summary of the novel "The Mill on the Floss" by George Eliot. It describes the major conflict as Maggie struggling between her desires for passion and her family's expectations. It outlines the plot, which follows siblings Tom and Maggie Tulliver and their relationship as they face their father's bankruptcy and Maggie's romantic relationships that lead to scandal. The summary concludes with Maggie and Tom reconciling and then tragically drowning together when trying to save each other during a flood.

1. STARS
#literature
BS ENGLISH-3rd Semester (Self-Support)

3. Major Conflict
• Maggie must choose between
her inner desire toward passion
and sensuous life and her
impulse towards moral
responsibility and the need for
her brother's approval and
love.

4. Themes
• The claim of the past upon
present identity
• The effect of society upon
the individual
• The importance of
sympathy
• Practical knowledge versus
bookish knowledge
• Love

5. The Mill on the Floss = George Eliot’s masterpiece
The story, set in the English
Midlands, is centered on the
lives of a brother and sister,
Tom and Maggie; despite
their deep reciprocal
affection, they cannot
understand each until their
tragic end.
 Maggie Tulliver holds the central role in the
book, as both her relationship with her older
brother Tom, and her romantic relationships
with Philip Wakem, a hunchbacked, and with
Stephen Guest, a vivacious young socialite in
St. Oggs and engaged of Maggie’s cousin Lucy
Deane.
 Tom and Maggie are the daughter and the son
of the miller of Dovecote Mill, on the River
Floss. She is an intelligent and sensitive young
girl, much more than the rest of her family.

6. Her brother Tom, whom she adores with all
her heart and tries to please in every possible
way, is on the contrary a rather dull an
unimaginative boy: he is practical, decided,
firm in his beliefs.
The first part of the book is a brilliant study of
provincial life shown with typical humor, and
leads up to the financial ruin of Mr. Tulliver.
The second part of the novel, deals with
Maggie’s unfortunate loves: first for Philip
Wakem, then for the educated and good-
looking Stephen Guest. During a boat excursion
Maggie and Stephen remain alone for a few
days, partly due to chance but partly because
of a Stephen’s design. This is enough to cause
great scandal and to bring ruin on the girl.

7. Plot Summary
• Tom and Maggie are children to Mr. and Mrs. Tulliver. Mr. Tulliver
owns the Drocode Mill by which he makes a living. He is mostly
attached to his daughter Maggie while his wife and her sisters
prefer the boy Tom. Tom is sent to Rev. Stelling for education and
while he is there, he visits Philip Wakem, the son of a lawyer
who takes Drocode Mill from Mr. Tulliver and becomes his enemy.
Tom avoids making relations to Philip, but Maggie and Philip
develop a liking to each other, which lasts to the end.

8. • When Mr. Tulliver has become bankrupt and bedridden, Tom tries to
earn a living and
• gather enough money to pay his father’s debts. Meanwhile, Maggie
and Philip always visit each other secretly. Tom then notices and
does not allow Maggie to ever talk to Philip again. Mr. Tulliver,
whose debts are paid, wants to take revenge by whipping Wakem.
He is so excited that again falls in bed and this time dies.
• Maggie, who until now had to do housework,
• sewing and reading, goes to visit his cousin, Lucy.

9. • At Lucy’s, she visits Stephen, Lucy’s love.
• Gradually Stephen and Maggie fall in love with each other. Philip, who is
a friend of Stephen, notices this but does not say anything. In an
attempt, while Stephen and Maggie are alone in a boat, Stephen wants
Maggie to elope with him. Maggie refuses by reasoning that if they do so,
they will betray their friends, Lucy and Philip. Therefore, Maggie comes
back to the town. The townspeople learn about the elopement and
blame Maggie, and Tom does not allow her to come to their house
because he thinks she has dishonored the family name. the story ends
when a flood has occurred and Maggie tries to save Tom, but both of
them die together.

10. Rising Action
• Incurious Tom is sent to school, while Maggie is held "uncanny" for
her intelligence. Mr. Tulliver's pride and inability to adapt to the
changing economic world causes him to lose his property in a
lawsuit against Lawyer Wakem and eventually die as the result of
his fury toward Wakem. To Tom's dismay, Maggie becomes secretly
close to Wakem's sensitive crippled son, Philip.

11. Climax
• At the age of nineteen, Maggie visits her cousin Lucy and becomes
hopelessly attracted to Lucy's wealthy and polished suitor, Stephen
Guest, and he to her. Stephen and Maggie are inadvertently left to
themselves for a boat ride. Stephen rows them further down river
than planned and tries to convince Maggie to elope with him.

12. Falling Action
• Maggie parts with Stephen, arguing that they each cannot ignore
the claims that Lucy and Philip have on them. Maggie returns to
St. Ogg's several days later and is met with repudiation from the
entire town and from Tom. Philip and Lucy contact Maggie and
forgive her. The Floss floods, and Maggie seizes a boat and rows to
the Mill to save Tom. Their boat is capsized by floating machinery,
Tom and Maggie drown in each other's arms.

13. Now going to Sum up all the main points in
the Novel with the help of key points, so
that you can better understand about the
story, role and characters.
Hope this will helps you.

16. • Rising Action
2. Philip and Maggie make friends when she visits
Tom.
3. Mr. Tulliver loses his lawsuit and becomes a
bankrupt.
4. Mr. Tulliver remains at the mill as a tenant,
cursing Wakem.
5. Tom ends the relationship between Maggie and
Philip.
6. Mr. Tulliver argues with Wakem and dies after
Tom pays debt.
7. Maggie returns to St. Ogg's and meets Stephen
Guest.
8. Maggie and Philip rekindle their friendship.
9. Stephen declares his love to Maggie.
Climax
11. Maggie and Stephen leave St.
Ogg's to elope.
Falling Action
12. Maggie returns to St. Ogg's alone,
and Tom disowns her.
13. Philip and Lucy forgive Maggie.
14. Maggie and Tom reconcile, then
die together in the flood.
Resolution
15. Philip, Stephen, and Lucy visit the
graves.
Introduction
1. Mr. Tulliver argues with Mrs. Glegg about Tom's education.

17. Thanks to all of you for giving your
precious time!!
Any question??