Discuss!

OBVIOUS WARNING:  Since these are discussion threads, you can be certain there will be spoilers galore.  Your best bet is to stay away from a discussion thread until you've read the chapters it pertains to!  

I can't figure out why he wanted to marry her given his past.

I think on his part, Marshall was looking for that "good" that maybe he could be; should be. Also, Lavinia knew him; there was a comfortableness and probably a safety that was probably appealing to him. There may have also been some underlying motivations of control and power.

Now, as for what Lavinia was thinking, that is, indeed, the question!

Kelly

Maybe she was just so frightened by Mr. Boran that Marshall seemed like her "knight in shining armour".  Still, having grown up with him SHE should have known better!

Does anyone else think Lavinia is unusually naive?

Naive and pretty passive.

I think Lavinia was a product of her upbringing and circumstances. Orphaned, indentured and raised with slaves who had no choice, no hope & no rights and she saw beaten, raped, abused and over-worked. And, these were good people. Lavinia saw their goodness, their love and kindness; yet it didn't make any difference in their lot in life. So what's a young girl to think? I think any glimpses of inner independence or strength was probably smothered by the realities of her life.

Kelly

... It's like she can't understand the brutality even tho she grew up with it. ... 

Very well put, Genie ... and I agree.

So, here's my question: at this point in the story, knowing what we do about Lavinia and her story thus far, do you think the author made a misstep in her development of Lavinia's character?

 ~Kelly

Great example to illustrate your point, Genie ... I had quite forgotten that incident ... and you're quite right. ~Kelly

LOL!  I just finished the book and was going through adding some thoughts and discussions other threads, and in the one right before this I also asked, "Why did Marshall marry Lavinia?"  My thoughts are in the other thread.

Obviously Lavinia was completely naive.  And I think you guys are right, given her upbringing as an indentured servant, she was grateful for just about anything and didn't understand (or want to understand) the horrible things that went on right under her eyes.  Also, it's possible that Lavinia was just sweet-natured, gullible and given to seeing only the positive by nature.  That was the way she was.  A bit of a Polly Anna.  Althought it proves to be her undoing, I think in many ways her nature was good many times for self-preservation.  Often, ignorance is bliss. 

Also, I think Mama had it right.  In Chapter 42 Belle  tells Will, "Mama says in some ways, Lavinia thinks like a child.  She don't always get what's going on.  She comes back here, wanting everything to be the same.  It's like she don't know that when she marries Marshall, she's gonna' take on his world.  Mama's trying to hep her see it right, but like Mama say, sometimes we got to live it out before we learn."

Genie - You bring up a good point.  I like audio because I like to hear the proper pronunciation of names.  (I really need to read a Cornwell book or something that takes place in Wales so that I once and for all know how to pronounce many of the names!)  I read this book on Kindle, and I was pronouncing Beattie's name "Beetie" simply because they sometimes called her "Bea."  However, I noticed with audio that sometimes it drives me nuts to know how to pronounce something, but not how to spell it.  LOL! 

REK. that's such a good point about Lavinia mirroring Marshall's mother; especially given what happens to to her later on in the story.