Disscussion #4 - Summarizer

This week’s reading (all of Gilikin) starts us off where Elphaba and Galinda get settled into Shiz University. Galinda is a very posh girl, quite the opposite of Elphaba and so they have a hard time becoming friends at first. It was seen as a tragedy when Galinda’s chaperone had her foot impaled by a rusty nail on their travels to the University because this would mean that she would have to room with Elphaba. Even though Galinda sees Elphaba as social suicide, over the course of the first year they finally connect and learn to deal with each-other.

In current issues, there is one teacher that Elphaba has for a science class named Dr. Dillamond. The problem arising is that the new man in power of Oz (the wizard) feels that Animals should be seen and not heard and Dr. Dillamond happens to be an Animal, not an animal. All of his research has been trying to convince the wizard that Animals are just as much a being as humans.

Another issue socially facing the two girls is that they have a friend named Boq. He happens to be very fond of Galinda but however he is a lowly Munchkinlander and her a Gilikinese. In the Gilikinese culture, it is not proper to see anyone but another Gilikinese. He would also not pass her ‘standards’ of a proper boy- though he is very sweet and kind.

The next crisis for the young men and women at Shiz is that Dr. Dillamond is murdered, though the story is covered up. No-one is sure who the murderer is because the cover story is that he slipped and self inflicted the death. Elphaba, Galinda and Boq all suspect that it had something to do with the fact that he is an Animal.

These chapters also hold the first appearance of Nessarose. ‘Nessie’ is Elphaba’s crippled sister. Though she can walk, she has no arms. She is very sweet and kind and also very religious; just like her father. Her appearance is surprisingly beautiful, so Galinda approved. Nanny is the one that was designated to take care of her as she has no way to take care of herself as others could.

The final push for the girls to do something about the current issue happened shortly after Ama Clutch’s death (Galinda’s chaperone.) They rode away in a carridge into the Emerald City. They ended up seeing the wizard about Dr. Dillamond, though he refused to listen. Elphie decided that she would not stay at Shiz University with the evil Mme Morrible, so she stayed in the Emerald city without Galinda; she went back.