Dane Dezellem
Jean is not a character that always makes decisions that we can agree with but I believe that we should have seen that coming very early in the book. Though we know that “I wish I was thirty, but, as I am not, I do my best to look and seem old.” Jean responds to Mrs. Coventry after Mrs. Coventry exclaims how young she is. Jean is a very strong character, and enjoys the power she has over people. This is our first glimpse at her personality, when we find out that she is not 19 but 30, this passage comes directly to mind. She is almost playing a game at these peoples expense, and she is the only one that gets the joke. It is obviously not necessary for her to hint at her real age, when it is so important to her that she be seen as young and accomplished. I understand why she would like to be seen as younger, but flaunting how well she can lie (when she is the only person that can see her flaunting) really shows the kind of attitude she has. Confidence is the first word that comes to mind, but I would venture to say that her confidence expands into arrogance. Taking unnecessary risks, which gain her nothing, prove the arrogance. We get another glimmer of this haughty attitude shortly after when she speaks to Gerald. Gerald is a “cool, indolent man” yet with a sharp look and some sly words she penetrates his walls leaving him defenseless and Lucia with a burning hatred for her. Though these are our first interactions with Jean, we already get the sense of haughty attitude that she is capable of. Late in the book we see the kind of character Jean has, and she is not the most agreeably character, but I argue that we could see this coming from the first time we met her.
Your post goes a long way toward explaining Jean's smiles at the expense of the Coventry family, Dane. It is, as you say, almost as though she's taunting them.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with your analysis of Jean's arrogant character and I like the examples that you gave. Although I was fooled into thinking her more innocent than what she turned out to be, I also agree that the signs pointed that she was up to no good even in the beginning. I liked how you stated that she was "playing a game" at the others expense and that "she is the only one that gets the joke". I think this is a great perception of her.
ReplyDeleteAmanda Renslow