(This was one of our requirements in our Teaching Literature Class. Posting it here means deleting the file on my lappy and sharing my perspective about this to the world. C:)
Title:
I’ve Got Your Number
Background of the Author:
Madeleine Sophie Wickham, popularly known for her pen name, Sophie Kinsella, is the bestselling British author of the massively well-known Shopaholic Series.
Sophie Kinsella has a B.A. in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University. Sophie wrote her first novel in 1995, The Tennis Player, under her real name Madeleine Wickham at the tender age of 24 while she was working as a financial journalist. The Tennis Player was immediately hailed as a success by critics and the public alike and became a top 10 bestseller. She went on to publish six more novels as Madeleine Wickham. These include A Desirable Residence, Swimming Pool Sunday, The Gatecrasher, The Wedding Girl, Cocktails for Three and Sleeping Fragments. She submitted her first ‘Sophie Kinsella’ novel anonymously to her existing publishers and it was snapped up without her editors knowing that she was only one of their authors. It wasn’t until the appropriately titled Can You Keep a Secret? was published that Sophie revealed her true identity for the first time.
From then, using her pen name Sophie Kinsella which derives from Sophie, her middle name and Kinsella, her mother’s maiden name, she wrote her first novel in her Shopaholic Series which is entitled The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic, also published as Confessions of a Shopaholic which made her race into the UK Bestseller lists in September 2000. The book’s heroine, Becky Bloomwood, a fun and feisty financial journalist who loves shopping but is hopeless with money captured the hearts of readers worldwide and she has since featured in five further adventures in Shopaholic Abroad, also published as Shopaholic Takes Manhattan, Shopaholic Ties the Knot, Shopaholic and Sister, Shopaholic and Baby and Mini Shopaholic. Becky Bloomwood came to the big screen in 2009 with the hit Disney movie, Confessions of a Shopaholic
Sophie Kinsella has also written six standalone novels which have all been bestsellers in the UK and USA. These include Can You Keep a Secret?, The Undomesticated Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl, I’ve Got Your Number and her most recent book, Wedding Night.
She lives in London, UK, with her husband Henry Wickham and their four boys.
Introduction:
They say, one cannot familiarize himself with an author if he only examines one piece of that particular writer. He has to undergo like two, four or more literary works before he can exactly points out what the author tries to tell as well as his style of writing, his use of common theme and the use of his point of view.
For an instance, one cannot appreciate William Shakespeare’s prolific style in tragicomedies if he only confines himself to Romeo and Juliet, for example. One would not be convinced that Guy De Maupassant and Henry James expressed their masterpieces in a feminism view if he would only be familiarizing himself with their The Necklace and The Portrait of a Lady respectively. Rather, he would describe them as realists. As far as contemporary works are concerned, one might be describing Nicholas Sparks as romantic, tragic and predictable type of writer upon reading his masterpieces. Though dubbed as one of the best investigative authors, one may not see James Patterson as best-among-the-rest suspense authors if he only comes to feel one thrilling, Patterson experience.
Sophie Kinsella, for one, is described as the quintessential “chick-lit” queen as proven by all her unforgettable female main protagonists in her novels. From the hilarious and humorous adventures of the very well-known Becky Bloomwood of the Shopaholic saga to the unexpected twists and turns of Lexi’s life in Remember Me?, up to the riches to rags, rags to riches epic of Samantha, the Undomesticated Goddess herself. The women which she brings to life in her novels somehow, possess attributes similar to hers. Becky Bloomwood is an apotheosis. Just like Sophie, Becky is a financial journalist who is a self-confessed free spender with an addiction to online shopping. Another is Emma Corrigan who works in a beverage company. During her mid 30’s, Sophie, in real life got also to associate with some beverage companies. With all these, readers can now determine where her heroines inherit such traits.
Often times, Sophie’s novels have man vs. himself and man vs. nature conflicts. Her heroines deal with problems which are caused by their misdemeanors and for some, the unexpected and unfortunate circumstances they encounter. One proof of a man vs. himself conflict is the undisputed Shopaholic saga. The six books center on the terrible spending habits of Becky Bloomwood which lead to her downfall as every reader-seems-to-hate bank manager Derek Smeath wants her to pay for all the misbehavior she had. Fleur Daxeny of The Greatcrasher also is a manifestation of a Kinsella’s manvs.himself-type of novel. Here, Kinsella tries to narrate a con-woman who in order to fund her expensive lifestyle, gatecrashes funerals in order to swindle wealthy widowers which later, falls in love with one of the men and how she overcomes such dilemma. On the other hand, Sophie, in narrating her novels, greatly emphasizes unfortunate series of happenings that would be encountered by her beloved leading ladies. In Twenties Girl, Lara suffers from her overactive imagination and deals with those as those dreams come to reality. The caterpillar-ferriswheel-liked flow in Lexi’s life in Remember Me is also another. The novel talks about Lexi who wakes up after a car accident and lives in a lifestyle contradicting to her actual living.
Another It Girl’s bubbly adventure of love and misfortune, a typical Kinsella piece is her I’ve Got Your Number, which was released on Valentines 2012. Just like all her books, Kinsella tells a unique story of another woman in her chick list, Poppy Wyatt, who was baffled with certain, unfortunate circumstances as she loses her preciously priceless inherited engagement ring a day before meeting her in-laws and mere weeks before her wedding.
Still, just like her other masterpieces, some of the elements of a Sophie Kinsella novel are seen in the story. Kinsella lets her readers join a woman’s life who will do anything and everything to avoid her problems and always has the best intention at heart, even as she’s making colossal mistakes. Similar to that of Confessions of a Shopaholic and Can You Keep a Secret, Poppy Wyatt’s love interest is highly placed in some sort of business setting and helps her formulate solutions solving her problems. As always, the “chick-lit” Queen never fails to make readers laugh. She always lets some of seemingly minor jokes appear in her book and I’ve Got Your Number has the humor that fit right in with the readers’.
Sophie Kinsella, as shown in the story, always makes sure that her books are not just laughing-stuffs. She always gives her readers the assurance that they learn something from it before the humorous Kinsella type of Eve finally comes to her triumphant “wins the day” type of ending.
Summary:
Poppy Wyatt, a physiotherapist, loses her engagement ring at a Marie Curie Champagne Tea when her seven friends convince her to let them fit her ring. When she goes to claim for her friends’ should-have-been prize, the fire alarm comes to buzz and a fire exists leaving her ring lost. She gives her phone number to the hotel personnel to contact her if they find her ring. Calling her friends, Poppy goes outside to search for a phone signal making her phone gets stolen. As she sits on a lobby chair thinking solutions to her misfortunes, she notices a phone in a bin. With her “Finders-Keepers” rule, she manages to keep the phone and owns it. It happens that that the phone is owned by a woman named Violet, the secretary of Whit Globe Consulting Group who just recently quits on her job. She then gives her new phone number to the hotel personnel, her friends and her fiancé. Sam Roxton, the boss of the secretary, calls the phone and finds out that Poppy already holds it. He commands Poppy to manage a business dealer stay until he show up. As Poppy manages to make Mr. Yamasaki deal with Sam on business matters, she asks him to have her still the phone and narrates the misfortunes she encounters. With his condition to forward all texts for him, Sam agrees.
Wearing gloves to avoid seeing her finger without the engagement ring, Poppy meets the awkwardly intelligent parents of Magnus Tavish, her fiancé. They begin to ask Poppy concerning clever issues but she manages to snob those questions. The meeting ends when her in-laws notice her gloves. When she tells her hands are burned, they convince her to meet a neighbor cosmetologist.
Texts and phone calls start pouring in, and Poppy begins scrolling back to discover the origins of all these thread in Sam’s life. Sam tries to get the phone back to her, but still, she is not in favor of it. She still reasons out that the phone number is given to the hotel personnel in which they could contact her if they find it.
The next day, through texting, Sam helps Poppy win the scrabble game initiated by the Tavishes. Sam suggests that he could help Poppy have a fake ring to show her in-laws as her ring is still searched. Agrees to Sam’s suggestions, Poppy wears the fake ring and shows it to her in-laws at the wedding practice. Still amazed the timeless beauty of the ring, the Tavishes find out that it’s fake as Lucinda, Poppy’s friend and wedding planner confesses that she finds the ring inside her bag when the fire happened at the Tea. Telling that she uses two rings to preserve the beauty of the real one, Poppy later hears the poignant words about her of her in-laws talking to Magnus.
As she habitually reads Sam’s messages, replies to them and e-mails Sam’s employers, Poppy is berated by Sam. He tells him to return the return the phone but she promises not to wade into his business and personal life again. Telling him her problems concerning her in-laws, Sam teaches her how to deal with such problems and promises to bring her into a meeting where he would show his technique and confidence on how to confront your bosses. A message from an unknown number appears on the phone telling Poppy that he sees Magnus flirting with some other girl who is friends with Poppy.
As he brings her to the company, Sam is informed about a bad news concerning a negative memo about Nicholas, the company’s founder and owner. He cancels the meeting and lets Poppy have the experience some other time. Going outside the company, Poppy remembers a call coming from the phone that could help Sam and the company solve the crisis. As she returns to Sam’s office and tells about the call, Vicky, Sam’s co-worker does not believe her knowledge but Sam trusts her. She just needs to identify the voice of the unknown caller to determine the brain of the business-thing issue. With this, Sam begs Poppy to come with him to Hampshire.
At the ball held at Hampshire, Sam lets Poppy meet one by one all the WGCG employers including Sam’s ex, Willow but still, she has not identified the caller’s voice. But when the host of the vent begins to talk and interviews her, Poppy remembers the familiar voice and tells Sam that the host possesses it. Sam then disappears to consult techies leaving Poppy to his old colleague.
As the ball progresses, Poppy, still thinking about the Magnus-having-another-woman issue, receives a text from Sam telling that he is outside. She then goes to look for him and finds him at the grassy part area. He embraces her, thanks her although he solves nothing. He also tells that he may no longer have a job soon. The intimate scene ends when Sam gives the phone to Poppy but Poppy refuses.
As her wedding comes nearer and nearer, Poppy receives two calls. One from the manager of the hotel telling her that a certain woman gets the ring from her, and Violet, the phone’s owner explaining that she could help the WGCG Company solve the crisis. The problem concerning Sam’s company is then solved.
A day before her wedding, Poppy buys a new phone and confronts Wanda, Magnus’ mother about the conversation she heard in the church. She also tells her how inferior she looks at herself over the Tavishes and even says the rumor she receives from the text and that, she’s thinking of cancelling the wedding. Wanda confesses that Magnus had past fiancées but reminds him to buy her his own engagement ring and that, they like Poppy for their son. She also tells that the heirloom means Magnus’ unserious engagements with other girls. Poppy goes to Lucinda and confronts her. She learns that Lucinda is one of Magnus’ fiancées and also the girl, the hotel manager is telling her. When Magnus returns home, he and Poppy fight. He begs for one more chance and asks to marry him upon giving a new ring which he tells he buys. Remembering what Wanda says, Poppy says yes.
On her wedding day, Poppy tells Sam that he continues the marriage but Sam texts her she should not. Felix, Magnus’ brother, then says that the ring is her Mom’s and Poppy does not appreciate Magnus lying to her. As the wedding ceremony begins and the Priest asks Poppy, she turns silent then says no. She informs everyone that despite of the cancelled wedding, there would still be a gathering for the reception. A woman from the throng then shouts to Poppy that she receives a text from an unknown number telling her to stop the wedding. Everyone inside the church then tells they receive similar text the woman does. The woman says again that the number replies and tells that the texter can be found outside and is waiting for Poppy. Poppy goes outside, finds Sam there and kisses him.
Analysis:
- Characters
Poppy Wyatt
Poppy Wyatt is the book’s protagonist and the speaker of the novel. Similar to other Sophie Kinsella’s leading ladies, Poppy can be described as humorous, lovable, adorable and funny as what his name, Poppy suggests. It rhymes with the word, “happy” which also describes her personality. Just like Becky Bloomwood of The Shopaholic series, Fleur Daxeny of The Greatcrasher among others, Poppy is also a non-confrontational girl who does anything and everything including carrying out highly imaginative hare-brained schemes to avoid her problems. This can be proven when Poppy loses her ring and thinks of crazy remedies. It ended up when she decided to wear gloves and pretended to have burned hands.
In finding her ring, readers can see Poppy as an external optimist. She has the best of intentions at heart even as she makes colossal mistakes. When she found an abandoned phone in a garbage, she got it secretly with whole, clean reasons. Her habit of reading Sam’s messages, both business-oriented and personal, perhaps is just Kinsella’s way how to connect the two worlds and add tidbits of humor to the novel. Though her plans, somehow went awry, she was still ingenious and she never gave up. She always chased to find solutions.
Poppy also possesses generosity. Her willingness to help Sam in all of his business mishaps is a proof. Another is absorbing and doing some of Lucinda’s responsibility.
As far as her nature as a woman is concerned, Poppy’s trust can be easily won by attractive and wealthy guys. When Magnus went to the clinic where Poppy works, Poppy immediately surrendered such sexual concerns. Moreover, when she found out the real personality of Magnus, she still got blinded by the second ring Magnus offered to her. Poppy also is a fair lover. As she was feeling more-than-friends emotion with Sam as the story progresses, she tried to erase the thoughts to her mind. She kept reminding herself that she already was engaged.
As the story progresses, readers also see the serious, emotional and weak side of Poppy. Readers learn that she is a parentless child who looks for belongingness. Her urge to be like the Tavishes who have equally intelligent, professional and they-know-everything clan members is a clear manifestation.
Poppy also prefers to keep problems within herself. She has this fear of confrontation which makes her less confident but develops later. This can be seen as she looks herself inferior over the Tavishes but her perception changed when Sam taught her how to gain confidence.
Just like any other typical Sophie Kinsella heroines, Poppy Wyatt is a prime example of a real sweetheart. Though blithely clumsy, Poppy has a lot of charisma, bagsful of wit and presence of mind. Perhaps it is this sprightly nature of Kinsella’s women that tugs at ever reader’s heartstrings and makes them lap up her plots with a pinch of salt.
Sam Roxton
Sam Roxton is the perfect, serious and rich boss of the secretary who owns the cell phone which Poppy has gotten from a bin. In many ways, Sam is entirely opposite to Poppy’s character. While Poppy suggests “happy” which makes her talkative, humorous, insecure and non-confrontational, Sam, on the other hand rhymes with “calm” which gives justification to Sam’s controlled, confident and not chatty attributes.
In the first parts of the story, readers see how Sam looks as a typical bachelor. He is too wrapped up with his own job to make time for others and he even lets her PA reply to any and all of his messages and emails. He never even bothered to reply to the friendly texts which are sent to him. Poppy also misinterpreted the texts coming from a certain contact, Dad, which she concluded that Sam was having a cold relationship with his father. Because of how Sam values time, love, for him, is not that essential. This can be proven as he just let his PA read the scandalous and confidential messages of Willow, her ex.
As the story progresses, Sam proves that what Poppy thinks of him is not right. Sam shows his important-businessman-yet-nice-guy type of man as shown when he helps Poppy ace the intellectual Scrabble game she had to play with her brainiac in-laws, and even helped Poppy furnish an imitation of her lost emerald ring. These are followed by Sam helping Poppy build her self-confidence and overcome her fear of confronting others as he reminds her that she is just as important as her famous to-be in-laws and that she does great work at the job she loves helping make people better. In return, Poppy also helped him solve the crisis Sam’s company encountered.
Sam’s emotional feelings to Poppy was slow to blossom and bittersweet yet very real.
Magnus Tavish
Magnus Tavish is again another typical Sophie Kinsella element. Just like other Kinsella heroines’ boyfriends, Magnus is again another absolutely ill-suited-in-every-way boyfriend of the main character, Poppy. Magnus, who can be described as maginoo-pero-medyo-bastos type of guy, is Poppy’s academic with Greek God looks fiancé whom she adores and who adores her.
In the first part of novel, readers can see how Magnus really loves Poppy. He shows great affection towards her, snobs Annalise, Poppy’s workmate, who is obsessed and flirts with him and even fights his parents for Poppy. But as the story continues to progress, Magnus’ character begins to bloom negatively. Readers are reminded of Magnus’ love for sex and addiction to touch Poppy that he even goes to the clinic to tempt her. Worse is that he has had his secret affair with Lucinda while Poppy thinks he’s engaging himself with a job in some other place.
In a deeper perspective, Magnus is a selfish spoiled-brat-liked son who is always dependent to his parents. The fact that he does not afford to spend money buying his own engagement ring and always uses his great grandmother’s emerald ring in proposing to her numerous fiancées is a proof of such negative side of Magnus. Also, he cannot stand to his decisions which would make him a coward and commitment-phobe. This can be proven by the engagement ring he gives to his fiancées including Poppy, the ring which is actually owned by her mother’s grandmother. According to Wanda, as long as Magnus lets his fiancées wear the heirloom; he is still unable to commit himself to someone else’s life.
Though Magnus’ character as the story progresses continues to be developed negatively and unlikely, he still does not possess that annoying antagonist image. He wasn’t even far to what Sam was. His character, similar to Sam’s, is a smart, bit serious and good for a girl’s self-esteem type of guy which he gave justice at the end of the story- he let Poppy be with Sam.
Mr. and Mrs. Tavish
Antony and Wanda Tavish are the intimidating in-laws of Poppy. With their awkward and bizarre ways of mingling with Poppy and through their more-than-100% IQs, Sophie Kinsella made Magnus’ parents look so annoying and dislikeable. Mr. and Mrs. Tavish are the type of parents who consider their son’s bride to be at par with their level. Antony Tavish, for instance, always talks with Poppy about the knowledge he knows concerning Greek Philosophy, Burns poems and the like even knowing Poppy knows nothing about those. It is as if he tests Poppy if she has the standards of a deserving daughter-in-law he demands. Also, it can be interpreted that he does it to slap the reality on Poppy’s face that she is undeserving to be a one equally intelligent Tavish woman. On the other hand, Wanda Tavish is a type of mother who spoils her child. This can be proven when she let Magnus give to Poppy her wedding ring and tell he buys it considering the fact that she tells Poppy to marry Magnus when he would already afford to buy his own engagement ring.
Antony and Wanda Tavish, on a positive side, are the typical parents who only wish nothing but the best for their children. But Sophie Kinsella manages to make her readers think a certain way of characters that are bad guys in a way.
Lucinda
One character that could strike readers’ attention is the role of Lucinda. She is a relative of the Tavishes which eventually becomes Poppy’s wedding planner and friend. She becomes the annoying bridal-help lady of the story as it continues to progress. The readers would come to know of Lucinda’s past amour with Magnus and that she was one of the numerous Magnus-left-for-nothing expecting fiancées. Also, readers would come to learn that Lucinda purposely stole Poppy’s engagement ring and that; she obliges Poppy to furnish the unaccomplished tasks concerning the wedding preparation. Her name might suggest “anaconda”, a snake since it rhymes with her name. Snakes can be anchored figuratively with traitors.
Lucinda, though allergic to weddings since disheartened by Magnus, still, chooses to be a wedding planner. More painful is that she organizes her ex fiancé’s wedding. Here, readers can see a strong-and-brave-woman side of Lucinda which covers her weakness and difficulty of moving on.
As the novel comes to its end, Lucinda became one of Poppy’s alarm clocks on making her realize she’s marrying a guy which she does not deserve.
- Themes
Love in modern world
Romance is always seen on Sophie Kinsella’s novels. Here, in I’ve Got Your Number, she emphasizes how love plays and reacts to the twists and shouts of a modern world.
Here, Sophie Kinsella tells a love story between her heroine, Poppy and heroine’s hero, Sam, under unexpected circumstances which is an interesting take on modern day relationship and its dependence on technology. Since texting, emailing and chatting are not only used nowadays on business matters, but more on getting in touch with some others’ lives, Kinsella narrates how true love can be developed through technological objects and that, as evident in the story, in a modern world, modern day relationships do not need a heroic tale of love and loss.
Also, as shown in the first parts of the novel, nowadays, sexual pleasure comes first before love. This is manifested when Magnus and Poppy had sex and got attracted to each other before decided to settle down.
Gaining self-confidence
Despite Poppy’s positive attitudes, Kinsella gives glimpse of her weak side as she always avoids confrontations and runs away from things that are right in front of her face.
She has this fear of talking frankly to others. She prefers to keep the pain, irritation and anger she feels for other within herself which makes the people around her inconsiderate of how she actually feels.
When her relationship with Sam becomes deeper, Sam discovers hear weak self-confidence which is in contrast to his and that, teaches her how to deal with such must-be-possessed attitude. He also teaches her not to be afraid and ashamed on confronting others if she knows, she’s in the right track. As Poppy gains her self-confidence, she begins to deal with her problems. She then confronts and tells Wanda how they make her feel inferior over them and even frankly speaks to Lucinda when she finds out that her wedding planner is having an affair with her fiancé.
Desire of belongingness
Intimidated by her future in-laws, Poppy does everything to impress Antony and Wanda Tavish. She also keeps on listing agendas wherein she’d memorize a Burns poem, study Greek philosophy, learn long scrabble words and the like just in order to be at par with the IQ level of her soon to-be in-laws. These manifest Poppy’s desire to belong in Magnus’ family. Her desire to be a one deserving future Mrs. Tavish is not only for future relationships with the family but as far as her family background is considered, at least, she wants to impress the Tavishes to get their attention just like a child who does things to dazzle her parents and fully have their attention. Poppy, back when she was child, had not experienced such feeling since her parents died.
The impossibility of true escape
Just like Becky Bloomwood of the Shopaholic saga, readers are reminded again of a Kinsella’s leading lady who formulates every remedy and reason just to avoid the consequences she might be facing upon making mistakes.
Here in I’ve Got Your Number, when Poppy loses her engagement ring, a heirloom, actually, hours before meeting her fiancé’s parents, she thinks of as-many-as-she-can ways dealing with her future in-laws without noticing the ring. She ends up wearing gloves and pretends to have burned hands. That first meeting, she was able to escape from her problem. As the story progresses, readers learn that Poppy, as helped by Sam, manages to wear a fake emerald ring while the heirloom is still searched. However, though the Tavishes did not recognize it at first, they still knew that it is a fake ring when Lucinda shows the real one. Poppy’s escape in keeping what actually happened to the ring comes to its impossibility. This is oriented to Becky Bloomwood’s impossibility of escaping Derek Smeath chasing her on her debts.
On the other hand, though Magnus does not fail to make Poppy believe him for the second time as he offers her an engagement ring, which actually is another heirloom, at the end, he still fails to win Poppy’s heart. Kinsella’s use of similar theme would make her readers think that she believes that every secret is revealed.
Karma
Kinsella seems to believe in karma. She often uses it to some of her novels. In The Gatecrasher, Fleur comes to face the consequences of her misdemeanors when he falls in love with one of the widowed men whom she swindle of to have a luxurious life. On the other hand, Becky comes to lose the most important people of her life when she can no longer control her terrible spending habit. Here, readers see how Poppy faced the consequences of hearing the Tavishes couple’s poignant words when she needed to keep lying. On the other hand, losing Poppy might be Magnus’ karma as he still chooses not to tell the truth to his fiancée. Moreover, the company crisis Sam encountered might be his reward since he displays cold treatment to his employees.
- Symbols
Poppy’s stolen phone and Violet’s phone
Poppy’s phone which was nicked and the phone she finds in dustbin symbolize her life with Magnus and her life with Sam, respectively. It’s the phone in the dustbin where she met Sam and learned life’s lessons such as gaining self confidence, being herself and viewing misunderstanding something. Without it, Poppy’s life and personality would remain as they are- her life with Magnus filled with insecurity, inferiority and lies.
The engagement ring
The engagement ring is indicative of Magnus’ fear of commitment. He had more-than-one fiancées whom he gives the engagement ring which is actually owned by her mother’s grandmother. When he finally asks his fiancées to marry him and in return, they said their sweet yeses, it turns out that Magnus would cancel each wedding and leave each girl. The engagement ring, as a result, is alwys returned to him.
Wanda’s ring
Wanda’s ring, the second ring which Magnus offered to Poppy signifies Poppy’s realization of marrying the wrong guy.
When Magnus gives Poppy his grandmother’s ring to be their engagement ring, Poppy feels special since it is an heirloom. But the fact is, Magnus offered it already to too-many-to-mention past fiancées but later finds himself unready to be committed. When Wanda tells this knowledge to Poppy, Poppy, having relationship obstacles with Magnus at that time, finally knows that she is just-another-woman Magnus tries to love. Begging for one more chance, Magnus then offers again another ring to Poppy, this time his mother’s, telling he owns it for he buys it. Poppy says yes but finds out during her wedding day that Magnus did not buy it actually that Wanda gives it to him and lies to her which results of her runaway bride moment. The ring, somehow, is also symbolic of Magnus’ second chance to win Poppy. But he still decided to lie to her which makes Poppy realize Magnus is not the right guy.
The Tavishes’ scrabble and its scoring document
The scrabble game, which is an intellectual indoor game, symbolizes the Tavishes’ inappropriate superiority. It has been said in the novel that the Tavishes consider scrabble to be their game which connotes that they really are Brainies since they play ritually the intellectual game. Associated with their scrabble board is the personalized scoring paper where they document their scores every time they play. The scene where Poppy played with the Tavishes and beat them emphasizes the use of the said symbols.
In the particular scene, Antony, Wanda and Felix play scrabble with Poppy. Readers can see in there how Poppy feels inferior over the Tavishes as far as their intellectual aspects are concerned. Poppy forms words with only scores of six or eight while the Tavishes formulate words which are long, unfamiliar and have 30 plus scores. It turns out that when Poppy obliges Sam to help her think of a word out of her tiles, Sam helps Poppy achieve a Scottish word which scores 130 plus which leads her as the top scorer of the scoring document leaving the Tavishes’ wow. This scene where Poppy beats the Tavishes’ antique scores suggests that even how brainy they are, they are still beatable. Their superiority over Poppy and even others cannot be considered wholly just. This is manifested by the scrabble scoring document they own yet Poppy’s name is listed as the best scorer.
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