Thursday, July 15, 2010
Abra
Abra, at first simply an object of sexual competition to Cal and Aron, becomes a more complex character in her relationships with the brothers but also with Lee and her own family. She rebels against Aron's insistence that she be a one-dimensional symbol of pure femininity. What is it that she's really looking for? Compare her to some of the other women in the book (Kate, Liza, Adam's stepmother) and try to identify some of the qualities that set her apart. Do you think she might embody the kind of "modern" woman that emerged in postwar America?
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Abra to me definitely embodies a modern woman in postwar America. From Aron I think that she was just looking for acceptance of who she was, which was not the perfect girl he had made up in his mind. She didn't like to be set in a mold, like how Aron had imagined her, and how her parents wanted her to be. Her parents were rich and felt that she should be a perfect daughter and marry a rich man. When Adam lost most of his money they no longer approved of Aron, but Abra did not care. She resisted her parents and spent as little time with them as possible, spending most of her time at the Trask's with Lee where she was accepted. Her and Lee bonded because they were both trying to step out of the molds set for them, him as a chinese and her as how girls were expected to be in those days. The qualities that set her apart are that she doesn't care what others think of her, she will do what she wants. This is shown when she makes Aron kiss her when he is ashamed of his father after the lettuce incident and everybody is making fun of him. Also how she talks to Cal at school while others try to avoid him and his darkness. She is very strong and sticks to her beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Abra embodies the model postwar woman. As a child, she agrees to marry Aron, and wants to live life as an average woman. Yet, as she grows up she slowly learns about the social norms expected of her, which she does not like. She slowly drifts away from Aron and towards Cal, until eventually she declares that she does not love Aron anymore. She develops a strong bond with Lee who himself is trying to escape the social norms that keep him low in society. Lee at one point even says that he wishes that he was Abra's father instead of a servant.
ReplyDeleteAbra just wanted to be accepted for who she was, not for who she wanted to be when she grew up as a child. I think Lindsey is right that her and Lee bonded because they were both trying to step out of society's expectations. Like Cal is in between Aron and Kate in that he is sometimes good and sometimes not, Abra is sort of between Kate and Liza. Liza embodies what everyone thinks Abra should be: she always tries to do the right thing and is kind to everyone. Kate, on the other hand, is purely evil. I think that Abra sets herself apart by recognizing that she isn't perfect, just like Cal did. I also think that she would agree with the quote by Helen Keller that we read that you have to know both good and evil to make the right choice. She chooses Cal because she knows Aron only knows good, and he will never live his life to the fullest because of it.
ReplyDeleteAbra was confined while growing up by the ideals her parents had for her. What she is really looking for is a person who sees her for who she wants to be and not a perfect angel like Aron made up in the image of her. Abra is a mix of Kate, Liza, and Adam's stepmother. Abra wants to be a good wife for Aron then Cal which is how she relates to Liza who is a living representative of the ideals Abra's parents wish on her. She relates to Adam's stepmother in the way she cares for Aron and tries to comfort him when pretending to be his mother. Also Abra is set apart because of her independence and her realization that she is not perfect and never will be. I definitely think that Abra embodies the modern women that emerged from a postwar America.
ReplyDeleteAbra is really looking to be her own person. She doesn't want to embrace the feminine life style because she feels that it wont allow her to be herself and experience the things she wants to do. When she was young and agreed to marry Aron, she felt that that was what she was supposed to do. But as she grew up she realized that she did not want to be like the thousands of other women. Aron did not see this image in her which is why she was attracted to Cal. This leads me to believe that she would fully embody the "modern" woman because it supports what she lives for.
ReplyDeleteyoo
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