Superdependable Tess
Posted by Kay on September 06, 1998 at 11:30:55:
I find myself relating to this poor girl (who I figure to be 16 years at the start of the book) who takes the burdens of her whole family on her shoulders because of her irresponsible parents. But in our day of never taking the blame or "Victimization," I'm undecided whether I admire Tess for accepting full responsibility when things go wrong or I'm enraged at her for not seeing more clearly that "it's not her fault."
Can't she see that her shiftless father should have made sure he was in shape to take the beehives to market?
Doesn't she know that no responsible parent would send out two children in the middle of the night with only a couple of hours sleep?
And yet Tess takes full responsibility for the accident (then the "rape") and will do anything to atone.
(I compare this to my son's accident. He fell asleep while driving and hit a telephone pole. He has yet to admit that he did anything wrong.)
I imagine Hardy wanted to present his character in the most positive light--as a superdependable "Guardian" type who tried to follow all the rules of her society.
- Some irony, then... Katt 14:19:12 9/07/98
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- How much did Tess know? Kay 15:23:50 9/07/98
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- I meant... Katt 16:02:37 9/07/98
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- I meant... Katt 16:02:37 9/07/98
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- How much did Tess know? Kay 15:23:50 9/07/98
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- 17 in my estimate Constanza 10:28:21 9/07/98
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- I think you're right. Kay Saucier 15:37:18 9/07/98
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- I think you're right. Kay Saucier 15:37:18 9/07/98
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- The childparent Cheryl 22:45:29 9/06/98
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- switched at birth Kay 10:55:38 9/08/98
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- 200 year gap Barbara 18:57:05 9/12/98
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- 200 year gap Barbara 18:57:05 9/12/98
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- switched at birth Kay 10:55:38 9/08/98
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