with her hands full of sweet peas

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

"Dear, those motor cars," said Miss Pym, going to the window to look, and coming back and smiling apologetically with her hands full of sweet peas, as if those motor cars, those tyres of motor cars, were all HER fault.

with her hands full of sweet peas = clasping to her breast a great bunch of sweet peas

Thanks for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

[Rover_KE]

Yes, Vil . . . almost. She was holding them - not necessarily clutching them to her breast.

(In BE, sweet peas are almost always flowers. In AE they could also be the vegetable in cans or frozen.)

Rover

[vil]

Hi Rover KE,

Thank you for your correctness.

Here are a few words in explanation of my free and easy interpretation of the phrase in question:

The violent explosion which made Mrs. Dalloway jump and Miss Pym go to the window and apologise came from a motor car which had drawn to the side of the pavement precisely opposite Mulberry's shop window.

I assume that if you were Miss Pym, in the present situation, you will not just holding the flowers in your hands but you will clutch them instinctivelly to yor breast.

Thank you again for your handy backing.


Regards,

V.

[Rover_KE]

That's the first time you've mentioned a violent explosion.

In that case, I think she'd be more likely to drop the flowers rather then clutch them to her breast.

Rover