After perusing the blog entries of my fellow students and finding that my original perceptions of Book IV had been so eloquently expressed by Robyn, I resolved myself to indite some supplementary observations. I had not expected Our Mutual Friend to conclude in so tidy a manner. As Robyn points out, most characters assemble into lovely little perfect pairs by the end of the novel. Obstacles have been overcome, secrets have been unveiled, and dreams have been fulfilled. In previous books, the reader encountered transformations (for better or for worse) in Mr. Boffin, Bella Wilfer, and Bradley Headstone. In Book IV, as is typical in the final stages of a novel, all is resolved. Mr. Boffin, whose character had become compromised in my eyes, reveals that he was merely assuming a miserly man demoralized by money. He retains his good nature and has a small fortune to boot. Bradley, as the reader discovers, is innately evil and receives his just desserts as he meets his death through his own volition (unfortunately taking the life of Riderhood as well--who had endeared himself to me). Bella abides by her enlightened attitude that allowed her to seek love over money. As a result, she is ultimately rewarded with a devoted husband, loyal friends, and of course, scads of cash! In the final book, and toward the end of the novel, another kind of transformation takes place within the lives of two characters. The reader encounters some sort of self-reformation in Eugene and Mortimer. Through is love for Lizzie, and perhaps as a result of his near death experience, Eugene acquires a new understanding of life. He discovers a pride for his humble bride and shuns society. This, he passes on to Mortimer, who, in the end, ponders who that "Voice of Society" might be. Yet he refuses to succumb to the artifice of his former circle, leaving them to wallow in their odious opinions and self-aggrandizement. In a humble attempt to replicate Dickens, I would like to add a Postscript in reference to my aforementioned partiality to Riderhood. Upon first meeting Riderhood in Book I, I was rather amused by his mannerisms and internal estimations of Eugene and Mortimer. While reading Book IV, I deduced that Riderhood was a very keen and clever "rogue." However uneducated, he nearly succeeded in defeating Bradley at his own game. From his careful observations of "T'otherest" in the Lock House, to following Bradley's shifty movements and the deftness with which he exploits the teacher in front of his students, Riderhood proves to be much more astute than he lets on. Again, I was sad to see him go.