The Mill on the Floss Book 1, Chapter 11 Summary

Maggie Tries to Run Away from her Shadow

  • Maggie is so upset that she decides to run away from home and join the gypsies since everyone always tells her that she looks like a "wild gypsy" anyway.
  • Maggie has heard that the gypsies often camp out on Dunlow Common so she heads off, guessing as to the right direction.
  • After walking for a while, Maggie starts to get a little scared, tired, and hungry. Her overactive imagination kicks in and she worries about everything from robbers to demons.
  • Rather abruptly, Maggie comes upon some gypsies.
  • The gypsies are very nice to Maggie and quickly relieve her of most of her possessions.
  • Maggie tells the gypsies that she has run away to live with them. They find this amusing.
  • The gypsies give Maggie some food, but Maggie doesn’t like it.
  • Maggie starts to get scared and the gypsies discuss the situation in a language that Maggie doesn’t understand.
  • Some gypsy men show up and they agree to take Maggie back home after she tells them where she lives.
  • But Maggie is scared by this point and is convinced that they are going to murder her.
  • Luckily the gypsies are actually quite nice and they head towards Maggie’s house.
  • On the way, they run into Maggie’s dad and she is glad to be reunited with him.
  • When they get home, Mr. Tulliver tells his wife and son to lay off Maggie and the gypsy incident is never mentioned again.