A Room with a View Cecil Vyse Quotes

“Well,” said he, “I cannot help it if they do disapprove of me. There are certain irremovable barriers between myself and them, and I must accept them” (9.6).

The “he” here, Cecil, is really just being a pretentious jerk. His inflated sense of self-importance and dramatic difference allows him to take pleasure in fancying himself “irremovably” separated from the nice old ladies of Lucy’s neighborhood. Not only does he see himself as another class, he is almost of another breed entirely.

"I don't know that you aren't. I connect you with a view—a certain type of view. Why shouldn't you connect me with a room?"

She reflected a moment, and then said, laughing:

"Do you know that you're right? I do. I must be a poetess after all. When I think of you it's always as in a room. How funny!"

To her surprise, he seemed annoyed.

"A drawing-room, pray? With no view?"

"Yes, with no view, I fancy. Why not?"

"I'd rather," he said reproachfully, "that you connected me with the open air" (9.126-132).

Cecil demonstrates a rather interesting and very brief moment of self-awareness here; his comment that Lucy connects him with a view-less room really hits the nail on the head. This is also a blaringly clear sign that Lucy and Cecil are really not meant to be – if he’s a boring room and she’s an exciting view, they can’t possibly belong to each other. After all, the novel isn’t called A Room AND A View

Cecil Vyse

Quote 3

“Come this way immediately,” commanded Cecil, who always felt that he must lead women, though he knew not whither, and protect them, though he knew not against what (12.32).

Oh, Cecil. You always think you’re in charge, even when you have no clue what’s going on. Though common sense should tell any normal person that you shouldn’t lead anyone unless you know where you’re going, Cecil’s sure that he’s the most equipped person to be in charge, simply because he’s a man.