ABSTRACT
But despite the similarities between /¶$VVRPPRLU and The Nether World – the aesthetic mode (literary naturalism and late nineteenth-century realism UHVSHFWLYHO\ WKH VXEMHFW PDWWHU WKH XUEDQ SRRU DQG WKH FHQWUDO WURSH IRU degeneration (alcoholism) – WKHUH DUH LPSRUWDQW GLIIHUHQFHV WRR 8OWLPDWHO\ /¶$VVRPPRLUPD\EHSRVLWLRQHGDVDQRYHOZKLFK – VXUSULVLQJO\JLYHQ=ROD¶VVHOI SURFODLPHGVFLHQWL¿FDSSURDFK – FRQÀDWHVWKHVW\OHRI/H5RPDQ([SpULPHQWDO with WKHJRWKLFPRGHHPSOR\LQJWURSHVRIGHPRQLFSRVVHVVLRQWRFRQMXUHWKHSK\VLFDO and mental transformations manifested in the terminal stages of alcoholism in *HUYDLVH0DFTXDUW DQG KHU KXVEDQG&RXSHDX%\ FRQWUDVW*LVVLQJ¶V VHQVLWLYH portrayal of the tormented mind of the alcoholic and of those predisposed to the condition – in particular Pennyloaf Candy – offers a profound psychological LQVLJKWLQFRPSDULVRQZLWKZKLFK=ROD¶VDGGLFWHGSHUVRQDHFDQDSSHDUVRPHZKDW WZRGLPHQVLRQDO *HUYDLVH¶V KRUUL¿F GHDWK IURP DOFRKROLVP DQG PDOQXWULWLRQ FRQIHUVDEOHDNVHQVHRIFORVXUHRQ/¶$VVRPPRLUZKLOH3HQQ\ORDI¶VHVFDSHIURP a brutal marriage and the dangers of alcoholism bestows a hopeful conclusion and HYHQDWUDQVLHQWQRWHRIURPDQWLFLVPWRDQRWKHUZLVHVWDUNO\SHVVLPLVWLFQRYHO
Whether the poor were degenerate and prone to alcoholism as a result of an LQKHULWHGYLFHRUWKHLUVTXDOLGHQYLURQPHQWZDVWKHVXEMHFWRIDKHDWHGGHEDWHDW the ¿Q GH VLqFOH ,Q'HJHQHUDWLRQ 0D[1RUGDX GHFODUHG WKDW DGGLFWLRQ OHDGV WR µWKH UDSLG GHVFHQW WR WKH ORZHVW GHJUHHV RI GHJHQHUDF\ WR LGLRF\ WR
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JHQHUDWLRQRIDOFRKROLFFKLOGUHQ,QKLVODQGPDUNWH[W,Q'DUNHVW(QJODQG %RRWKVDLGWKDWZLWKGUXQNHQQHVVVRSUHYDOHQWDPRQJPRWKHUVµWKRXVDQGVRISRRU ZUHWFKHV¶DUHµQRWVRPXFKERUQLQWRWKLVZRUOGDVGDPQHGLQWRLW¶DQGKHGHVFULEHV DJLUOZKRLVWKHµEDVWDUGRIDKDUORWERUQLQDEURWKHOVXFNOHGRQJLQ¶µ(YHQLI WKH\PDNHDVWDQGDJDLQVWLWWKHLQFUHDVLQJSUHVVXUHRIH[KDXVWLRQDQGRIVFDQW\ IRRGGULYHVWKHPEDFNWRWKHFXS¶:HVKRXOGKHXUJHVSLW\WKHFKLOGUHQWKHµERUQ VODYHVRIWKHERWWOHSUHGHVWLQHGWRGUXQNHQQHVVIURPWKHLUPRWKHU¶VZRPE¶3 His REVHUYDWLRQVDUHYHU\UHOHYDQWWRWKHSUHVHQWDQDO\VLV*HUYDLVHDQG3HQQ\ORDIDUH both born into the pathologically hostile environment of poverty and alcoholism EXWZKHUH*HUYDLVH¶VQDUUDWLYHLVRQHRIGHVSDLUDQGIXWLOLW\3HQQ\ORDI¶VVWUXJJOH IRUUHVSHFWDELOLW\FDQEHUHDGDVDQDUUDWLYHRIFRXUDJHDQGKRSH /¶$VVRPPRLULVDQH[SHULPHQWDOQRYHOZLWKDVWURQJVRFLRVFLHQWL¿FWKHPHDQG
its narration of the story of the laundress Gervaise Macquart is richly informed E\ FRQWHPSRUDU\ GLVFRXUVHV ,QLWLDOO\ *HUYDLVH UHVLVWV ZKDW LV GHVFULEHG DV DQ LQKHULWHGSUHGLVSRVLWLRQWRGULQNDQGVKHVWULYHVWRULVHDERYHWKHHQYLURQPHQWRI SRYHUW\DQGEUXWDOLW\LQWRZKLFKVKHZDVERUQ+RZHYHU=RODHQJLQHHUVDVHULHVRI LQFUHDVLQJO\GDXQWLQJFKDOOHQJHVZKLFKZHDUGRZQKHUUHVLVWDQFH$IWHUKHU¿UVW GULQNRIVSLULWVDW2OG&RORPEH¶VEDUVKHEUHDNVKHUIHUYHQWO\DUWLFXODWHGUHVROYH DQGSOXQJHVVZLIWO\LQWRDOFRKROLVPYLROHQFHVWDUYDWLRQLQVDQLW\DQG¿QDOO\D SDXSHU¶VJUDYH ,WLVHDV\WRVHH*HUYDLVHDVDYLFWLPRIELUWKDQGFLUFXPVWDQFH+RZHYHUIURP
WKHRXWVHW=RODVHHPVWRLQGLFDWHWKDWKLVKHURLQHLVÀDZHGELRORJLFDOO\DQGLVDOVR WDLQWHGPRUDOO\ZKLFKFDXVHVKHUWRDWWUDFWHYLO,Q&KDSWHU=RODHVWDEOLVKHVWKH KHUHGLWDU\LQÀXHQFHVPHWLFXORXVO\*HUYDLVH¶VIDWKHUZDVDYLROHQWDOFRKROLF+HU PRWKHUDOVRGUDQNDQGVKH*HUYDLVHZDVWKHUHVXOWRIDGUXQNHQDQGEUXWDOVH[XDO DFWWKDWKLQWVVWURQJO\DWPDULWDOUDSHµ$KXQGUHGWLPHVKHUPRWKHUKDGWROGKHU DERXWQLJKWVZKHQKHUIDWKHUFDPHEDFNGUXQNDQGPDGHORYHWRKHUVRYLROHQWO\ WKDWKHEURNHKHUERQHVDQGVXUHO\*HUYDLVHZLWKKHUFULSSOHGOHJZDVFRQFHLYHG RQRQHRIWKRVHQLJKWV¶ 7KURXJKRXW WKH QRYHO WKDW FULSSOHG OHJPDUNV*HUYDLVH DV RWKHU VKH ODFNV
µZKROHQHVV¶ DQG KHU FKRLFH RI VH[XDO SDUWQHUV DQG KHUPRUDO OD[LW\ UHÀHFW WKLV LQKHUHQWELRORJLFDODQGSK\VLFDOÀDZ)LUVWVKHDWWUDFWVWKHGLVVROXWH/DQWLHUZKR VXEVHTXHQWO\ GHVHUWV KHU DQG KLV WZR FKLOGUHQ7KHQ VKH DWWUDFWV &RXSHDX WKH URRIHUZKR LQLWLDOO\ LV SUHVHQWHG DV DKDUGZRUNLQJ\RXQJPDQZLWK DGLVWDVWH for strong liquor – DQ DQWLSDWK\ *HUYDLVH VKDUHV VKH µFRXOGQ¶W DELGH VWURQJ GULQN¶VKHWHOOVKLPDIWHUDVHVVLRQGULQNLQJDQLVHWWHZLWKKHUPRWKHUµKDGQHDUO\ ¿QLVKHGKHURII¶S&RXSHDXH[SODLQVWKDWKHDGRSWHGKLVDQWLVSLULWVVWDQFH when his father – DURRIHUOLNHKLPVHOI±GLHGIURPDIDOOFDXVHGE\GUXQNHQQHVV Zola is careful to set out these facts – WKHSDUHQWV¶GULQNLQJDQG WKH DGPLUDEOH GHWHUPLQDWLRQRIWKH\RXQJFRXSOHQRWWRGULQNVWURQJOLTXRUDQGWRZRUNKDUGWR
EHWWHUWKHPVHOYHV,QGHHGRQHRI&RXSHDX¶VDWWUDFWLRQVIRU*HUYDLVHLVWKDWµKHGLG QRWGULQN¶S – WKHVDPHWUDLWWKDWGUDZV3HQQ\ORDIWKHGDXJKWHURIDFKURQLF DOFRKROLFPRWKHUWR%RE+HZHWWLQThe Nether World
Then Coupeau has his accident – D IDOO IURP D URRI MXVW OLNH KLV GUXQNHQ father – DOWKRXJK LURQLFDOO\&RXSHDX LV VREHU DW WKH WLPH+H VXUYLYHVDIWHU D ORQJFRQYDOHVFHQFHEXWKHKDVFKDQJHGDOPRVWEH\RQG UHFRJQLWLRQ1RZKH LV LQGROHQWDQGWDNHVWRVWURQJGULQNKLVPDQO\SULGHDVDKXVEDQGDQGEUHDGZLQQHU ORVWZLWKRXWDWUDFH7KLVLVDQDZNZDUGWZLVWLQWKHSORWLQWKHFRQWH[WRIOLWHUDU\ naturalism and Zola provides no medical reason for the dramatic personality FKDQJH +RZHYHU DV D JRWKLF WURSH LW ZRUNV ZHOO &RXSHDX¶V IDOO WULJJHUV WKH hereditary curse of his family and his new degenerate personality now resembles /DQWLHU¶V*HUYDLVHLVWUDSSHGRQFHPRUHDQGHIIHFWLYHO\ZLWKWKHVDPHPDQ (YHQ EHIRUH VKH WDNHV WR GULQN*HUYDLVHPDQLIHVWV H[FHVVLYH DSSHWLWHV DQG
WKHVHDUHHPSKDVL]HGDWKHUVDLQW¶VGD\IHDVWLQ&KDSWHUZKHUHWKHJXHVWVJRUJH WKHPVHOYHVWRVXFKDQH[WHQWWKDWWKHPHQ¿QGLWQHFHVVDU\WRYRPLWLQRUGHUWR FRQWLQXH HDWLQJ DQG GULQNLQJ ZKLOH WKH ZRPHQ XQODFH WKHLU VWD\V DQG DSSHDU SUHJQDQW7KLVLVQRWDIHDVWEXWDQRUJ\ – where the women disrobe and mimic pregnancy – DQGLWVHWVWKHVFHQHIRUWKHUHWXUQRI/DQWLHUZKRVHDSSHWLWHIRUIRRG DQGVH[SURYHWREHERWKH[FHVVLYHDQGGHVWUXFWLYH 7RJHWKHU/DQWLHUDQG&RXSHDXPHWDSKRULFDOO\GHYRXU*HUYDLVHPRUDOO\DQG
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Gone is the pretty plumpness and in its place is the diseased and swollen body of WKHDOFRKROLF
Coupeau’s alcoholism causes such a severe illness that he is admitted to KRVSLWDODQGLV WKHQWUDQVIHUUHGWRDPHQWDODV\OXP,QKLVUHVHDUFKRQGHOLULXP WUHPHQV =ROD UHIHUUHG WR 'U9DOHQWLQ0DJQDQ¶V'H O¶DOFRROLVPH GHV GLYHUVHV IRUPHVGXGpOLUHDOFRROLTXHHWOHXUWUDLWHPHQW+RZHYHULQKLVGHVFULSWLRQV RI&RXSHDX=RODVWUD\VEH\RQGPHGLFDOUHDOLVPDQGSUHVHQWVGHOLULXPDVGHPRQLF SRVVHVVLRQEXLOGLQJRQHDUOLHUJRWKLFWURSHVWKDWVXJJHVWWKHDQLPDWLRQRILQDQLPDWH REMHFWVIRUH[DPSOHWKHµOLYLQJRUJDQLVP¶SWKDWLV WKHEURRGLQJWHQHPHQW EORFNZKHUH*HUYDLVHLVWROLYHDQGGLHDQGWKHPDOLJQDQWVWLOODW2OG&RORPEH¶V EDUZLWK LWV µVXEWHUUDQHDQSXUULQJ¶ S&RXSHDX LV DOFRKROSHUVRQL¿HGDQG *HUYDLVHZDWFKHVLQPXWHKRUURUDVKHUKXVEDQGVKULHNVDQG¿JKWVRIILPDJLQDU\ GHYLOVDQGUDWV WKDWFOLQJWRKLVÀHVKDQGWKHµUHGÀDPHVJUHHQÀDPHV\HOORZ ÀDPHV¶WKDWDUHKLVZDNLQJQLJKWPDUH
$VDYLFWLPRIDGHPRQLFSRVVHVVLRQ&RXSHDXSHUIRUPVKLV6DLQW9LWXV¶VGDQFHRI GHDWKµ7KDWGD\WKHWUHPEOLQJKDGJRQHGRZQIURPKLVKDQGVLQWRWKHIHHWDQGWKH OHJVZHUHMXPSLQJLQWKHLUWXUQKHZDVOLNHDUHDOSXSSHWZLWKVRPHRQHSXOOLQJKLV VWULQJVKLVOLPEVÀ\LQJWKLVZD\DQGWKDWZKLOHWKHWUXQNUHPDLQHGVWLIIDVDERDUG¶ S$QGLWLVDVWKRXJKWKHHYLOVSLULWWKDWSRVVHVVHV&RXSHDXLVWUDQVPLWWHG WR*HUYDLVHZKRLQWXUQµGLG&RXSHDX¶SSHUIRUPLQJWKHGDQFHRIGHDWK IRU WKHEHQH¿WRIKHUQHLJKERXUV*HUYDLVH¶VYRLFHHYHUSUHVHQW WKURXJKRXW WKH QRYHOLVVLOHQFHGOLNHWKHFODVVLFK\VWHULFRIWKHSHULRG,QVWHDGRIVSHDNLQJVKH SHUIRUPVDPLPHRI µ7KH2QH$ERXW7R'LH¶+HURQO\ IRUPRI DUWLFXODWLRQ LV bestial – VKHEUD\VOLNHDGRQNH\KHUOLPEVPDQLIHVWLQJWKHLQYROXQWDU\MHUNVRI spastic paralysis:
Coupeau dies in the agonies of delirium tremens and for Gervaise the borderline EHWZHHQ VDQLW\ DQG PDGQHVV LV EUHDFKHG 6KH UHSHDWV KHU SHUIRUPDQFH RI WKH GDQFHRIGHDWKOLNHD6YHQJDOLDQPDULRQHWWHZKLOHDWWKHVDPHWLPHUHFDOOLQJWKH K\VWHULFDO IHPDOH SDWLHQWV RI WKH 6DOSrWULqUH DV\OXPZKRP WKH IDPRXV )UHQFK SV\FKLDWULVW-HDQ0DUWLQ&KDUFRWGLVSOD\HGWRDQLQYLWHGDXGLHQFH :KHQ *HUYDLVH GLHV RI VWDUYDWLRQ DQG DOFRKROLVP LW LV 2OG %D]RXJH WKH
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that but for her unremitting efforts Hewett would have yielded to the despair of a GUXQNDUG¶S6KHUHDVVXUHVWKHIDPLO\¶VIULHQG6LGQH\.LUNZRRGWKDWKHU GDXJKWHU$P\ZLOOORRNDIWHUWKHFKLOGUHQDQG-RKQEXWVKHDOVRLVVXHVDGHDWKEHG SOHDµ,W¶V-RKQ,¶PDIUDLGIRU,IRQO\KHFDQNHHSIURPGULQN:LOO\RXWU\DQGKHOS KLP6LGQH\"¶S 7KH\RXQJ$P\LVDQXQKDSS\FUHDWXUHZKRUHVHQWVWKHPDQWOHRIµPRWKHU¶RI
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/LNH1HOO+DUULVRQ WKH¿FWLRQDO0DULD&DQG\KDV WULHG WR VWRSGULQNLQJ ,Q KHU EOHDN URRP LQ 6KRRWHU¶V*DUGHQV WKH RQO\ WRXFK RI FRORXU LV SURYLGHG E\ WKH¿YHSOHGJHFHUWL¿FDWHVSLQQHGDERYHWKH¿UHSODFH:DOWHU0R[RQLQµ$OFRKRO DQG ,QGLYLGXDOLW\¶ SRLQWV RXW WKDW WKH PHUH VLJQLQJ RI WKH SOHGJH KRZHYHU KRQHVWO\XQGHUWDNHQ LVQRW HQRXJK WRNHHS WKHDOFRKROLFXQGHUFRQWURO ,QGHHG each signing and subsequent relapse brings with it an increasing sense of shame DQGKHOSOHVVQHVVµ'UXQNHQQHVVSUHYDLOVLQVSLWHRIWHHWRWDOLVPZKLOVWWKHSOHGJH LQÀLFWV XVHOHVV VHOIWRUWXUH¶0R[RQ VD\V9 This is borne out in Maria Candy’s H[SHULHQFHLQRQHRIWKHPRVWVLJQL¿FDQWSDVVDJHVRIWKHQRYHO
Pennyloaf’s inheritance is damning but her battle with her alcoholic predisposition OHQGVKHUFKDUDFWHUDVXEWOHGHSWKDQGGHWHUPLQDWLRQWKDWDSSHDUWREHODFNLQJLQ *HUYDLVH0DFTXDUW$QGZKHUH*HUYDLVH LV UHJDUGHGZLWK VXVSLFLRQ E\ IULHQGV DQG IDPLO\ 3HQQ\ORDI DWWUDFWV D VWURQJ DQG OR\DO FRPSDQLRQ LQ WKHPRUDO -DQH 6QRZGRQ%\&KDSWHU3HQQ\ORDIKDVWZR\RXQJFKLOGUHQDQGLWLVDSSDUHQWWKDW KHUKXVEDQGLVQHJOHFWLQJKHU-DQH¿QGVKHUVLWWLQJRQWKHVWDLUVGUHVVHGLQKHU SDWKHWLFEHVWLQWKHKRSHRIHQWLFLQJ%REWRVWD\DWKRPH6KHWHOOV-DQHRIKHUIHDUV
,WLV-DQH¶VVXSSRUWDQGNLQGZRUGVWKDWHQDEOH3HQQ\ORDIWRFRQWLQXHKHUVWUXJJOH -DQH¶V PHVVDJH RI KRSH LV WKDW 3HQQ\ORDI FDQ EUHDN WKH KHUHGLWDU\ FKDLQV RI DOFRKROLVPDQGWKHGHVRODWH\RXQJPRWKHUWDNHVKHHG
%RE +HZHWW VKRZV QR VXFK VWUHQJWK RI FKDUDFWHU DOWKRXJK KLV FKDQJH RI personality – IURPUHVSHFWDEOHDUWLVDQWRGUXQNHQEUXWH – is more convincingly SRUWUD\HG WKDQ =ROD¶V GHSLFWLRQ RI &RXSHDX¶V GRZQIDOO$W WKH RXWVHW *LVVLQJ LQGLFDWHVWKDW%RELVZHDNZKHQKHQRWHVWKDWWKH\RXQJPDQFKRVHKLVIULHQGV IURPDPRQJ WKHGHJHQHUDWH µFROODUOHVV¶ SS ±+RZHYHU WKHPRVW WHOOLQJ LQGLFDWLRQRI%RE¶VSURJUHVVLYHGHJHQHUDWLRQLVQRWKLVOLDLVRQZLWK&OHP3HFNRYHU KLVLOOLFLWGHDOLQJVZLWKFRXQWHUIHLWFRLQVRUKLVSXUVXLWE\WKHSROLFHEXWUDWKHUKLV VDYDJHRXWEXUVWRIEUXWDOLW\,Q&KDSWHUKHEHDWV3HQQ\ORDIMXVWDVKHUIDWKHU EHDWKHUPRWKHU)URPWKLVVKRFNLQJVFHQHRIGRPHVWLFYLROHQFH%REOHDYHVKLV ZLIHO\LQJZRXQGHGRQWKHÀRRUDQGµZHQWLQWRDSXEOLFKRXVHWRTXHQFKWKHWKLUVW WKDWKDGJURZQXQEHDUDEOH¶SS± *LYHQKHUXSEULQJLQJDQGPDUULDJH3HQQ\ORDI¶VDEVWLQHQFHLVTXLWHUHPDUNDEOH
but Gissing signposts her inherent morality clearly: she loves her husband despite KLVPLVWUHDWPHQW DQG VKHFDUHV IRUKHU FKLOGUHQDVEHVW VKHFDQ0RUHRYHU VKH UHPDLQVGXWLIXOWRZDUGVKHUPRWKHUDVGRHVKHUEURWKHU6WHSKHQZKRVHVHQVHRI ¿OLDOUHVSRQVLELOLW\LVUHPDUNDEO\WRXFKLQJ$VWKHVXUSULVLQJO\JHQWOHDQGNLQGO\ VRQRIDQDOFRKROLFPRWKHULQ&KDSWHUSRRU6WHSKHQHYHQEODPHVKLPVHOIIRU Maria Candy’s latest alcoholic binge because he has given her money to pay the UHQW:KHQ%RE+HZHWWRQWKHUXQVHHNVDKLGLQJSODFHDW6KRRWHU¶V*DUGHQVKH QRWLFHV WKH ODFNRI IXUQLWXUH – QHYHUYHU\SOHQWLIXO LQ WKH&DQG\V¶VLQJOHURRP 6WHSKHQ WHOOV%RE WKH\ µWRRN LW IRU UHQW , WKRXJKWZHGLGQ¶W RZHQRWKLQJ EXW PRWKHUWROGPHVKH¶GSDLGZKHQVKHKDGQ¶W¶6WHSKHQQRGVWRZDUGVWKHSURVWUDWH form of his mother:
µ0\ IDXOW IRU WUXVWLQ¶ VD\V 6WHSKHQ DFFHSWLQJ WKH EODPH IRU KLV PRWKHU¶V GUXQNHQQHVVDQGHYHQ WDNLQJ WKH WURXEOH WRRIIHUKLVHUUDQWEURWKHULQODZZKDW OLWWOHFRPIRUWKHFDQPXVWHU7KLVLVWKHODVWZLQWHUIRU6KRRWHU¶V*DUGHQVZKLFKLV VFKHGXOHGIRUGHPROLWLRQWKHIROORZLQJ\HDU,WLVRQHIHHOVFHUWDLQWKHODVWZLQWHU IRU0DULD&DQG\µ5DJHIRUGULQNZDVZLWKKHUUHDFKLQJWKH¿QDOPDQLD8VHOHVV WREHVWRZDQ\WKLQJXSRQKHUVWUDLJKWZD\LWRULWVYDOXHSDVVHGRYHUWKHFRXQWHURI WKHEHHUVKRSLQ5RVRPDQ6WUHHW¶S )RU6WHSKHQDQHDUO\GHDWKDOVRDSSHDUVLQHYLWDEOHEXWQRWVRIRUKLVVLVWHU7KH
&LQGHUHOODOLNH3HQQ\ORDIHPHUJHVDWWKHHQGRIWKHQRYHODIUHHZRPDQIROORZLQJ WKHSURYLGHQWLDOGHDWKRIKHUKXVEDQG6KHJRHVRQWR¿QGZRUNIULHQGVKLSDQGD home for herself and her remaining living child at Mrs Todd’s second-hand clothes VKRS:LWKLURQ\DQGXQFRQYHQWLRQDOSORWWLQJLWLVWR3HQQ\ORDIWKDW*LVVLQJEULQJV -DQHIRUFRQVRODWLRQµLIHYHUOLIHVHHPHGDOLWWOHWRRKDUG¶S,Q3HQQ\ORDI¶V QHZ KRPH -DQH ¿QGV D SODFH ZKHUH WKH µODXJKWHU ZDVPHUU\¶ S &ODVV differences are irrelevant here – Jane and Pennyloaf are equal in sisterhood DQG VKDUH DPXWXDOO\ VXSSRUWLYH IULHQGVKLS 3HQQ\ORDI LV QRW \HW IUHH IURP WKH
depression brought about by the misery of the past but in Jane’s company she µIRXQGWKHGDUNWKRXJKWVVOLSDZD\LQVHQVLEO\¶S,QDEHDXWLIXOO\ZRUNHG FRQFOXVLRQKHUVWRU\HQGVDWWKHSRLQWZKHUHVKHLVIUHHIURPPDOHUHSUHVVLRQDQG HPHUJHVIURPWKHVLOHQFHRIKHUVXIIHULQJµ$QGVKHWDONHGVKHWDONHG – where ZDVWKHUHVXFKDWDONHUDV3HQQ\ORDIQRZDGD\VZKHQRQFHVKHEHJDQ"¶S :KHUH*HUYDLVHEHFRPHVPXWHLQKHUDOFRKROLFPDGQHVVDWODVW3HQQ\ORDI¿QGV KHUYRLFHDQGZKLOHVKHGRHVQRWHVFDSHWKHQHWKHUZRUOGVKH¿QGVDVDQFWXDU\ LQWKHµKXPEOHVHFXULW\¶SRIIHPDOHFRPSDQLRQVKLS,OOQHVVZLOOUHOLHYHKHU of her alcoholic mother in due course: providence has relieved her of her brutal KXVEDQG6KHLVIUHHRIWKHKHUHGLWDU\DQGHQYLURQPHQWDOFKDLQVWKDWERXQGKHUWR DOLIHRIPLVHU\ $QG VR WKH YHU\ GLIIHUHQW MRXUQH\V WKURXJK OLIH RI *HUYDLVH0DFTXDUW DQG
3HQQ\ORDI &DQG\ UHDFK WKHLU FRQFOXVLRQV 7KH WZR \RXQJ ZRPHQ LQKHULW D SUHGLVSRVLWLRQWRGULQNIURPWKHLUSDUHQWV – a vice of which they are well aware DQGZKLFKLQLWLDOO\ERWKUHVLVWLQ3HQQ\ORDI¶VFDVHZLWKD¿HUFHGHVSHUDWLRQWKDW LVSRLJQDQWO\DUWLFXODWHG%RWKDUHGUDZQLQWRXQIRUWXQDWHPDUULDJHVWKDWDQFKRU WKHP¿UPO\ LQDSDWKRORJLFDOO\KRVWLOHHQYLURQPHQWRIDOFRKROLVPDQGSRYHUW\ Their escape – WKURXJKGHDWKLQ*HUYDLVH¶VFDVHDQGLQWRDOLIHRIµKXPEOHVHFXULW\¶ in Pennyloaf’s – PDUNVWKHFORVXUHRIWKHVH¿QGHVLqFOH narratives of addiction as UHVSHFWLYHO\ZKROO\SHVVLPLVWLFDQGFDXWLRXVO\RSWLPLVWLF*LVVLQJ¶V UHPDUNDEOH achievement in The Nether World is to depict urban poverty in all its brutality but DOVR WRFRXQWHUSRLQW WKLVEOHDNH[LVWHQFHZLWKDQH[SORUDWLRQRI IHPDOHFRXUDJH and determination that eschews sentimentality but nevertheless raises a poor \RXQJZRPDQDERYHKHUWUDJLFGHVWLQ\
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