Lucy and her Mother
Posted by Carolyn B on February 26, 1998 at 20:45:33:
In response to Why? I wonder . . ., written by Kay on February 26, 1998 at 09:29:00
] 2. She was hurt by Lucy's behavior at the end of the book and took it personally that Lucy wanted to travel to Greece with the Miss Alans. She might think that Lucy's marriage to George is just a way of escaping the Honeychurch home.
I would go with #2. I think Mrs. Honeychurch sees her relationship with Lucy breaking up as her daughter prepares to go out into the world and she is probably somewhat hurt when Lucy goes through her "muddle" without confiding in her. Remember the conversation that Charlotte and Lucy have about Lucy's relationship with her mother in ch. 7 after the Kiss
"Why need mother hear of it?"
"But you tell her everything?"
I suppose I do generally."
"I dare not break your confidence. There is something sacred in it. Unless you feel that it is a thing you could not tell her."
The girl would not be degraded to this.
"Naturally I should have told her. But in case she would blame you in any way, I promise I will not."
I wonder if Mrs. Honeychurch might also have been hurt to find out that Charlotte knew something about her daughter that she did not?? (And seeing Lucy become more like Charlotte at one point?) Considering the situation from Mrs. H's POV, she probably wouldn't have realized quite how big Lucy's muddle was, and all she sees is that her daughter wants to leave Windy Corner. (Thinking of Ch. 19 where Mrs. H. has her outburst about Lucy going to live in the city. "Despise the house that your father built and the garden that he planted."
However, I think in the long run they will reconcile, since they did prefer George to Cecil, and they are all generally sensible, loving people.
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