Friday, March 26, 2010

Betsey

I thought it was interesting that when the mom came home she thought she could just go back to her usual life. I was frustrated by the fact that she didn't seem to realize all the damage that she inflicted on her children. They became depressed and worried the entire time she was gone. Everyday they cleaned the house and did the chores to make sure the house looks good for her return. When she returns she take up right where she left off like nothing happened. She gives the girls the sex talk about how to be a proper lady and get a good man. The children especially Betsey does not respond like she had hoped. This is due to the fact that her mom was not there when she needed her earlier so her mentor changed away from her mother.
Another reason why I am frustrated is that the mom left the family after going through the ordeal when Betsey left. I don't understand how she can do that to her kids after she knows what it feels like to go through this. Not only that, she left her kids just after going through the experience of Betsey running away. The emotions should still be fresh in her mind and the panic she experienced has only just gone away.
Betsey's began to form an attachment to nanny. She looked up to her and respected her. This nanny respected Betsey in return and did not put the responsibility of the whole house on her shoulders. This allowed Betsey to grow more mature. When the mother returned it was like she was stifling Betsey all over again. This is why I don't like Betsey's mother.

1 comment:

  1. I completely agree with your post. I think it is wrong that it took a complete stranger to get her household back in order. But I do not think that all the blame can be on the mother, the father did not help out that much either. I felt as though the grandma had the house more in order than either parent. I think that both parents needed to step it up on what they were teaching their kids and the responsibility that they were putting on them. I feel as though all the pressure was put on Betsey. At the beginning Jane was talking about how great Betsey was after Bernice was fired and when she tries to come clean she just tells her to be quiet. Jane and Greer want Betsey to do what they want; they play a big influence in her life but won’t let her become her own individual. They needed to step up on what they taught their children but not put so much pressure on them to be these great people who need to stand for everything.

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