What is a venus?

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In chapter XIV, when the mother-in-law is looking for some fault in Ruth's house, on page 34 it says that there was a "crouching Venus in the corner." This may not be a crucial detail of the story, but I wanted to know what the old lady thought was so awful, and I have no idea what a Venus is, does anyone else?

-- Anonymous, February 11, 2000

Answers

I was thinking that the "crouching Venus" was a statue not unlike the Venus de Milo (you know, the one without arms). That nude statue was enough to send the very "proper" Mrs. Hall into a fit about how unfit Ruth was as a mother, as if it were a bad thing to expose her daughter to a bit of culture and art. (I hate that woman!)

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2000

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