Jamaica Inn – Week 2

Mary is beginning to settle into life at Jamaica Inn. While it’s lonely, she has something of a mystery to solve as well. She knows that her uncle is up to no good, but just what he is doing she is not sure of yet. There is one thing she did not count on however, and that his his brother. He shows up one day out of the blue, and she has no idea who is he is or why he is at the inn. As she gets to know Jem a little more, she is not sure about him at all. Does he follow his brothers lead and is he involved in the illegal trade that her Uncle is involved in?

As the time moves on, Mary learns more about life at Jamaica Inn. When her uncle falls into his stupors, there is something of her aunt from years past that can be recognized, but the entire thing makes Mary angry. Her uncle drinks himself to the point that he becomes basically a child for several days, and her aunt takes care of him and ensures that he has everything he needs to recover. As she tries to learn more about what her uncle and his activities, she loses him as she follows him across the moors. Losing her way in the dark, she meets the vicar from Altarnum. As he lays supper before her, and allows her to thaw out from being lost on the frozen moor, he says nothing. But when he finally asks a couple of questions, she spills the secrets that she has been holding since her arrival at Jamaica Inn. Why she tells him everything she does not know, but she has to tell someone! He does not advise getting the law immediately, but to wait and see what happens.But then she learns something from her Uncle. As he is in one of his drunken stupors late one night, he begins to tell her his secrets. The more he talks,  and the more she learns. the more she detests him. As she prepares to meet Jem for a visit to Launceston on Christmas Eve, Mary wonders what she has gotten herself into. Jem is a horse thief and admittedly proud of it, but she finds herself hating him and being drawn closer to him at the same time….

This week we are reading Chapters 5-9

Questions:

1. Mary wants to leave Jamaica Inn, but she wants to take her aunt with her. With what we have seen so far, do you think that Patience will ever leave the inn?
2. Jem swears that he has not killed anyone yet, but Mary does not know whether to believe him or not. Given the temperament of her uncle, do you think she is wise to spend any time with him at all?
3. Mary learns quite a bit about her Uncle while he spills his secrets. Do you think she should have kept it to herself or tried to find someone that could help her?