Week Four: Sections VIII – IX: Pages 417 – 488

Several childhood experiences foreshadow Laura's ultimate fate, including her plunge into the river p. 151 and her accusation that Mr. Erskine sexually molested her p. 165. What do these incidents indicate about Laura's personality? To what extent is she shaped by circumstances beyond her control?

I think that they indicate that Laura is not that concerned about her future. I thought that she chose to fall into the river and again, she did not really seem to want to report on Mr. Erskine until later. On the other hand, she did not feel believed when she reported him, so that was bad for her. (Plus, of course, she was a child and he was an adult, so to that extent she was shaped by circumstances beyond her control.) She ran away to sell waffles and with nowhere to live. The big event was the loss of her mother. But she also chose many of the events in her life like running away, and skipping out of school, and falling into the river. To me, she is a puzzle.
--BJ

Laura seems to take these actions without thinking of the consequences. She just jumps into the water without thinking that her sister may drown trying to save her, or at least have to watch her sister drown. From her past history, it wouldn't be a surprise if driving the car off the cliff was a spur of the moment decision.

These happenings and their aftermaths tell us something about how capricious Laura was, and how prone to making spur of the moment decisions (such as jumping into a river, running away, driving a car off a bridge). Also, it tells us something about her belief in God's justice, as she thought Reenie had fullfilled God's will by getting mr. Erskine fired, and that she could bring her mother back by drowning herself. It was Laura's faith that held her together, and when the bubble burst (which happened right after Iris told Laura that whatever sacrifice she'd made didn't save Alex), she collapsed.