LEADER
Melanie Blake is the executive director of Classical Pursuits. She disagrees with James that his novel is an “unhappy accident” and appreciates this story of a young women caught between two New Yorks. She previously led an online version of this seminar, in addition to many seminars on 19th- and 20th-century American, Canadian and French literature. She’s led Classical Pursuits tours to Paris, Sicily, Rome, Morocco, Japan, Mexico, Colombia, India and more. She has a BA in English from Fordham University, with a minor in French language and literature from Fordham and the Université de Montpellier, and an MA in literary linguistics from the University of Nottingham. She’s worked many jobs in hospitality, literature and the arts, or some combination of the two: security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, private bartender at parties in north India, ESL teacher at Nottingham Trent University, and quality control for Viking Cruises and the NBA, among others.
BOOK
Washington Square, by Henry James
(Everyman’s Library/Knopf, 2013)
ISBN-13 : 978-0307961426
SEMINAR OVERVIEW
Washington Square, Henry James’s novel of a young woman caught in what others want for and from her, is a great way to discover or revisit this beloved author who is a master of psychological complexity. “When he writes that Mrs. Montgomery ‘was in a state of extreme moral concentration’ we are in a world that could only belong to Henry James,” suggests Arthur Phillips in his introduction to James’s novel. It’s a world where speech and observation, sound and silence, action and thought intertwine in ever-shifting patterns. By paying careful attention to these patterns, we will gain an appreciation for the depth of James’s insights into human pride and casual cruelty.
We’ll examine in particular the relationships between Catherine Sloper; her father Dr. Austin Sloper, who has forbidden her to marry her first true suitor; and Catherine’s aunt Lavinia.
If you have not read much Henry James, don’t fear! Although a reputation for complexity and very long sentences precedes James, this short and straightforward novel is a great place to start.
TORONTO PURSUITS AFTERNOON SEMINAR DETAILS
You can add this afternoon seminar to your main Toronto Pursuits registration. Or you can choose it as a standalone program, and take only this afternoon seminar.
The standalone registration price includes 3 seminar hours, and all inclusions of the Toronto Pursuits program.
The afternoon seminar takes place Monday and Wednesday from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
Included in the standalone registration are 3 seminar hours, plus a hot buffet lunch on seminar meeting days, pre-seminar afternoon talks, and attendance at our welcome cocktail party. It does not include a ticket to the Toronto Summer Music Festival, but this can be added to your registration.
Toronto Pursuits 2026
See the Toronto Pursuits 2026 page for full details on the program schedule, health and safety, booking your accommodations, terms and conditions, and more.
