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Jo, Molly, Wanda Manydeeds, Darla LeBeau, Rose, and even Jenny are all depicted as strong and capable women in their own individual ways, and the men in their lives seem to expect and respect that. What do you think of the women in the book? Which one made the strongest impression on you, and why?
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I liked all the women (and kids) in the book. They are all three dimensional with their good and bad points, just like the men. Each has their own quiet strength but they are also shown as capable of defending themselves. I was impressed by Jenny’s honesty. She holds her own when confronting her dad about the separation, and shows she’s a caring, unselfish person like her dad when she cleans his house. I was very emotional when Molly died, it was so unfair and I really wanted to see more of her and her relationship with Cork. I feel that I still have to get to know Jo, but I thought she was the most complex of the women and grew more interesting as the story progressed. I look forward to learning more about her.
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Agree, especially learning more about Jo. She is often an unsympathetic figure, implacable in the face of Cork’s efforts at rapprochement in their relationship. But, I am sure there is more to her and I am grateful the story ends with a sense we will learn more.
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All of these women strong, capable and articulate. None of them are stereotypes or caricatures. Although not a principle character, Darla LeBeau made an impression on me and not just for her anguished statement of regret that she had believed the story that Joe John had abandoned her and Paul and left on an alcoholic bender. Darla’s commitment to her husband and son, in the face of Joe John’s struggles, requires a strength of character and personal courage that I see uniquely in Darla. No doubt, her emotions ran the gamut of anger, disappointment and a sense of betrayal but she pushes through. She is there for them when Joe John succeeds both in sobriety and business and she carries on in his absence. As heart wrenching as it must have been to learn that he is dead and how he died, I expect there was some solace in knowing that he died with his integrity intact. The runner up in my admiration for these women is Rose. Cork describes her as sort of dumpy, past any hope of a meaningful relationship and suggests she has limited intellectual curiosity, reading supermarket tabloids in her free time. But it is Rose who stands up to Jo. Rose who recognizes Cork’s rights in the O’Connor family and risks Jo’s displeasure. When Jo considers that both she and Cork might die at the hands of Sandy Parrant she considers their will which makes Rose the children’s guardian, an acknowledgement not only of Rose’s love for the family but her capacity to hold it together when need be.
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For me, Jo and Wanda are not the most likeable people at the beginning, despite both having admirable professions. I found their personalities “prickly,” especially when interacting with Cork. And when it’s revealed Jo had an affair before separating from Cork, my opinion dropped lower. But I think both women revealed themselves to be courageous and with a strong sense of justice by the end of the story. Jo, especially, became really heroic when she confronted Sandy. Among the female characters, I thought Molly was the most likeable. Despite being treated badly by people (and Cork!) she’s strong, independent, and knows who she is. I liked her “live and let live” attitude and her warm heart.
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Molly impressed me as the one with the healthiest sense of self and it showed in her willingness to confront Cork and in her accomplishments repairing her property and in her intellectual curiosity.
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I agree with what Jane Baechle said about Rose. But Wanda Manydeeds was another very strong woman, apparent from her first meeting with Jo who thought that Wanda had “one of the most confrontive gazes Jo had ever seen in another female.” Wanda wanted to know if Jo was a “lawyer for money or for justice.” She wanted Jo to go after the Great North Development Company (Robert and Sandy Parrant) for not hiring Lizzie because she is female and Ojibwe. Wanda had turned an old hunting lodge into a shelter for Native American women and was a member of the tribal council, doing much good for her community. “In all the years, Cork had known Wanda Manydeeds, he’d seldom seen those hard chestnut eyes clear of suspicion. Wanda looked at the world with chronic distrust. It was as if she’d been born without innocence, and although she had suffered much in her life, she’d never suffered from a mistake caused by naivete.” Although Wanda Manydeeds killed the Judge, I do not believe that it was premeditated. She said that she went there to talk to the Judge about the death of her brother which he supposedly set up. Although Fr. Griffin wanted her to wait, she said that she couldn’t wait because it was “like having a wild animal inside eating me up.” When the Judge threatened her and told her to leave, she grabbed the poker and killed him. Afterwards, I feel that she felt it was justice that she would never have otherwise obtained.
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Reminds me that law and justice are not always aligned; I think Fr. Tom understands that and so does Cork.
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