Question #3 Week Three: Sections VI – VII: Pages 303 – 416

Iris comes under the influence of three very different women in the course of the novel: Reenie, Callie Fitzsimmons, and Winifred Griffen Prior. How does each of these women affect Iris's view of herself--and of womanhood in general? How do their lives and attitudes represent the social environment and class structure of the times?

Based on the events through the end of VII, I think Rennie has had by far the most influence on Iris. Iris clings to class divisions, separating herself (and her family and the Griffens) from the working masses. Iris believes there are certain, acceptable ways of coping with unhappiness and grief and these don't involve talking things out. Iris' tendency to think certain things but not voice them is a direct inheritance from Rennie.

Callie's freer spirit gives Iris the courage to follow meekly behind Laura in her adventures with Alex Thomas but is not enough of an influence to allow Iris to chart an independent course.

Winifred is clearly a lesson in superficiality, one which Iris seems to readily master as she plucks unwanted hairs, perfumes her wrists, dons new clothes and learns to navigate the social waters of Richard's set.

Sadly, at this point in the story the young Iris has never experienced love and the bitterness of the aging Iris only seems to allude to risks never taken. I hope Iris has at least a few moments of happiness in the sections to come. The only remotely joyful moments so far seem to be when Iris is recounting the acerbic replies she makes to inquiries about Laura and her literary legacy.

Reenie's influence is the most constant in Iris's life (aside from that of Laura) as it formed the basis of Iris's expectations for behavior before she married. Reenie's voice still played in her head even when Iris bacame an old woman.
I think Callie Fitzsimmons influence was in showing Iris and Laura that there were women like her, "loose" and more intersted in ideals than marriage, out there. The Chase girls had never met someone like Callie, and though they and Reenie didn't accept her, they saw that their father did.
Winifred looked down on the Chase girls as they had looked down on the town children. Her dominance over all things makes Iris wonder at her own weaknesses. It isn't lost on Iris that Winifred and Richard are new money and that she (Iris) was born into the old money with the status that Winifred would like for herself.

I agree that Reenie had the most positive impact on Iris. From Reenie, she receives the mothering that she needs. Reenie teaches by catch phrase, but her teachings are remembered. But Reenie also hides the bad; she would be the one to look for a suicide note and destroy it.

I don't know that Callie had that much impact, but she did show a different type of woman to Iris.

Winifred was dominating in teaching the right way for a person of her station to behave, dress, and decorate her home. But there is no relationship there -- only resentment.
--BJ