Part 1, Chapter 1 Summary

This novel, written in the early 1900's, tells the deceptively simple story of a young woman's gradual acceptance of true love. Its abundance of symbols, however, enhances its fully developed characters and gentle satirical sensibility, developing a constantly deepening richness of meaning. This makes A Room with a View not only a romance, but also a gently pointed meditation on the universal human drive toward emotional and spiritual awakening. The first part of the novel takes place in Florence, Italy.

The Bertolini- Lucy and Miss Bartlett, her cousin and chaperone, sit down to their first evening meal at the Pension Bertolini, in Florence. To their disappointment, the Pension is populated entirely by British visitors, decorated with portraits of British notables and run by a British woman. Lucy complains that they might just as well be in London. Charlotte complains about the...