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« on: February 17, 2013, 06:21:46 PM »
I assume people are staying in town until told otherwise. I like to think Trask sleeps in the stable next to his horse, though, amongst all the road apples...
I think so many parmanent family rifts must happen because people like Joshua feel free to exert total punishments against offspring, ruthlessly, justifying it by telling themselves and others that they actually mean no ill will and will continue to be a concerned devoted parent just as always, as long as the big rule isn't violated. Therefore anything bad that results is totally in the offspring's control, his/her choice, especially since the parent sees no sensible reason for the offspring even wanting to break the big rule. So, it's all the most loving and least harmful of toughlove measures, he thinks, meant just to wake the offspring up a little.
What's overlooked completely is that even if it is a whim on the part of the offspring to break the rule, the harshness of the punishment itself sends a huge message and can change forever how the parent is seen, and can become THE only important fact to the son/daughter, outliving the original issue. It ends up not even mattering if the parent was right originally, which Joshua is. I'd like to take apart why someone like Joshua can't perceive this, and I'd love to analyze it somehow, because if we could, we might address and change a key point of human misunderstanding that we've had since humans could talk.
I chuckled at Ang going all girly, and having her sweet, innocent, romantic moment with her (Josette's?!) wedding dress, like any bride.... when she's just done... well, just about everything to everybody!
What a bizarre mixture she is, of almost admirable true love for Barnabas, not being concerned at all with his fortune... combined with blind ruthlessness and self-absorption. She'll go anywhere with him, doesn't care if he's poor.... but she doesn't care if he gives up everything for the sake of a marriage he absolutely does not want!
That's the one thing supporting this entire storyline, making it remarkable and gripping, even when it gets stiff and stagey... the fact that those two opposites are somehow, magically, inexplicably combined in one character, and we buy it. The most magical thing about Angelique isn't her powers, but who she manages to be.
I can hear Barnabas's thoughts as Ang reacts to hearing he'll lose his money and job... She loves me! She really loves me! Oh crap!!!