Posted by kathleen (elder) on May 28, 1997 at 14:57:06:
In reply to Re: Yikes! / Fanny the mouse that roared ONCE! posted by Ann on May 28, 1997 at 13:50:57
] ] The fact that Fanny will not be listened to does not excuse her. We are wrong if we see our loved ones heading for a fall and do not speak up. Whether they listen is besides the point. (usually they do not). Fanny is the mouse that roared -once!
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] But she would have been in big trouble, if she had spoken up. It wasn't as if they would just ignore her. THey would either make her life a living hell or ship her back to her family in Portsmouth--seperating her from Edmund forever. She was helpless to affect a change in the situation, Maria was determined and would have ignored her anyway, and speaking up could only have hurt Fanny, so why would she have done so?
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I agree Ann. Also, Fanny could not be certain that Maria was heading for a fall. Certainly Mr Rushworth was no prize, and clearly Maria was attracted to Henry Crawford, but that doesn't necessarily mean that Maria's marriage will fail -- especially in such spectacular fashion!
Sometimes we keep quiet when we see potential problems for our loved ones because we hope for the best -- in circumstances as well as the person's judgement. And sometimes we keep quiet so the person won't do even more "daring" things in defiance of our warning. (I'm thinking in part of the metaphor of Maria's passing beyond the gate into the wilderness even as Fanny is speaking of potential problems.)
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