"He greatly valued his possessions, chiefly because they were his, and derived genuine pleasure from contemplating a painting, a statuette, a rare lace curtain - no matter what - after he had bought it and placed it among his household gods."
I've seen this kind of "obsession with objects syndrome" come up in movies/writing before. For example, has anyone ever seen "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"? One of the supporting character's is named Cameron and his dad is obsessed with his Ferrari. Cameron's father "loves this car more than life itself", but he hates his wife. It's the same here, except not as extreme - Mr. Pontellier seems to love his inanimate objects more than his wife (who never really loved him either). Do you guys think there's a reason he is or has become so attached to objects instead of his own family? Do you think he ever really loved his wife?
I think that we keep talking about these stereotypes for women, but we also have to understand that it wasn't cupcakes and daisies for men either. They were supposed to be the strong, logical ones. I wonder if they both felt pressured to marry each other when really neither one of them wanted to be family people, and since they were forced into it they never really clicked. I doubt it was an arranged marriage per say, but people also had different expectations of couples at that time. After a few dates they were supposed to propose, and get married. I wonder if the social expectations just got to them. I mean we know that Lion definitely feels social pressures as demonstrated when he like flipped out about Edna not being at Tuesday visiting hours, so I wonder if that has something to do with their marriage. As far as the loving inanimate objects, I wonder if he feels like it's easier to attach to things that he knows won't leave him. His objects won't hate him or disobey him, unlike Edna and his family. This might just stem from social issues and self-esteem, but who knows?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, and I'm glad you brought up that "it wasn't cupcakes and daises for men either." (LOL). But that is really true. I think everyone brought expectations on themselves by not making a change in society. If people had started to stand up for a better life, maybe this would not have been an issue. However, you would probably need a whole society, maybe even a whole country, to stand up to stereotypes for there to be an actual change. In this weeks reading, I see even Mr. Pontellier start to complain a little about having to conform to society's expectations: "You know I have a quick temper but I don't want to quarrel or be rude to a woman, especially my wife; [sidenote: who doesn't quarrel with their wife once in a while???] yet I'm driven to it, and feel like ten thousand devils after I've made a fool of myself. She's making it devilishly uncomfortable for me." (100) I think it's weird that he's accusing of doing something bad, when standing up to gender roles is a good thing in the end. But, this goes back to what I said before. Since everyone is into society, Edna is the oddball by refusing to conform to society. In the end, I kind of feel sorry for everybody who had to live through all of that.
ReplyDeleteYes, definitely. This is from this week's reading, but Edna mentions finally realizing that she loves Robert and that she married into a loveless marriage. She seems to not be getting that sense of "rebellion" as much anymore, but she's just living her life the way she wants to. (which is AWESOMEEE). What I don't understand is why she doesn't just run away. She's admitted to loving Robert, and Lion really isn't doing much for Edna anymore. They're just acquaintances at this point. Edna's moving out in any case, so she obviously thinks/knows that she can live on her own, at least until Robert gets back. It may be bad for ones reputation, but I still think she should just leave. It's what's best for her!
ReplyDeleteIn the book before, it said that he had loved her and that she had been told she would grow to love him, as was often then case, but she never grew into the shoes, this weeks reading showed that she is actively doing things against how married woman should behave, i dont think that what she's doing is a honest thing to do but their marriage wasn't working out and in the time period divorce was not widely accepted and so unless her husband died she would be something of an outcast, hum, is murder in enda's future? probably not, she's not that kind of person
ReplyDeleteThat is a very interesting prediction/point, Laurel. But I agree, I don't think she would murder her husband, unless, she became insane like Jane in TYW , or something like that. Also, Alcee doesn't know about Robert, so she's going to have to do some explaining before she can run away with him. . . (she's not into alcee really right? or is she into both of them?)
ReplyDeleteI think she's into Alcée because she wants attention, and she feels unloved without Robert, but her heart really lies with Robert. And that is definitely an interesting point. I don't think Edna would murder someone else... Honestly, I can't picture her running off either. I can see her going off in the day time and just not paying attention to her husband, but for some reason it seems as if she wouldn't do something like running away or, goodness forbid, murder someone, especially not her children or husband.
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