Subject
Mute persons -- Fiction Books
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George MacDonald
Sir Gibbie
"Sir Gibbie" by George MacDonald is a novel published in 1879 that follows a mute, destitute boy in Scotland who rises from poverty while maintaining extraordinary Christian virtue. Despite an alcoholic father, dangerous companions, and harsh punishments for his good deeds, Gibbie embodies selfless service to others. Written in Scottish Doric dialect, the novel presents its protagonist as both a Christ-like figure and a model of Christian obedience, offering a rags-to-riches story where spiritual integrity matters more than worldly success.
M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon
The trail of the serpent
"The Trail of the Serpent" by M. E. Braddon is a novel written in the mid-19th century. The story appears to center on crime, intrigue, and personal downfall, set in the fictional English town of Slopperton. Early key characters include Jabez North, a school usher with hidden depths, and Richard Marwood, a prodigal son implicated in a heinous crime. The book likely explores themes of deception, mistaken guilt, and the dark complexities of human character. The opening of the novel sets a somber, rain-soaked scene in Slopperton, introducing Jabez North, a seemingly virtuous assistant at a boys' academy who harbors secrets and troubling behaviors. The narrative quickly shifts to the return of Richard Marwood, an outcast son, who reunites briefly with his mother and wealthy uncle, only to find himself entangled in a web of suspicion following his uncle's brutal murder. Parallel subplots introduce other troubled souls, such as a desperate woman and her child, and the movements of a mute detective named Peters. Within these opening chapters, the story lays the groundwork for a mystery, focusing on the wrongful accusation of Richard, the suspicion cast on various townsfolk, and the interplay between outward respectability and inner corruption.
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