Chapter 25
When Worlds Collide at the Coach Door
EVELINA TO THE REV. MR. VILLARS Howard Grove, April 25. NO, my dear Sir, no: the work of seventeen years remains such as it was, ever unworthy your time and your labour; but not more so now-at least I hope not,-than before that fortnight which has so much alarmed you. And yet I must confess, that I am not half so happy here at present as I was ere I went to town: but the change is in the place, not in me. Captain Mirvan and Madame Duval have ruined Howard Grove. The harmony that reigned here is disturbed, our…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Toxic Environment
Think of a situation where one or two people's constant conflict made life miserable for everyone around them - maybe at work, in your family, or in your neighbourhood. Draw a simple diagram showing the toxic people at the centre, then map out all the other people affected by their behaviour. Note how each person responds to the toxicity.
Consider:
- •Notice who tries to play peacekeeper and how exhausting that role becomes
- •Identify who gets caught in the crossfire even when they're not involved
- •Observe how the toxic people seem energized by the chaos they create
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you had to deal with someone who poisoned the atmosphere wherever they went. How did their behaviour affect you and others? What boundary-setting strategies worked or didn't work?
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