Was Sylvia a typical woman of her time???

[The Whimsical Writer]

Wonder what your thoughts are on this?
Seems to me that women were still very repressed not to mention somewhat restricted by their gorgeous clothes. Somehow I doubt it was the womanly thing to do to chase kites across the park etc Do you think this is an indication of Sylvia being a woman ahead of her time so to speak or was it her circumstances or just the effect of JMB???

[Dulcet Drifter]

Well, when he met her she was already trying to raise her four kids by herself, which in itself is a tremendous task to take on. So she'd probably have to be looser then most women already. After all the age range of her boys weren't that far spaced, but still had them acting immaturaly. Although, she very well could be a women before her time because she didn't care what others thought of her. Something women in high society(look at Mary) thought was very important.

[The Whimsical Writer]

Very good point. I like to think of her ( & most people) as a free spirit. In some ways she had a lot to put up with because of the tittle tattle of others & staring eys although some would say that is deserved but on the other hand at the point in the scene she was a single woman but of course, JMB was not a single man.
Naturally Mary's position was not explored but guess she was perhaps ostrasied by the society she so wanted to be part of but then again perhaps she gained sympathy because of the way JMB acted.
Funny how these things don't change so much with time.

[Dulcet Drifter]

I'd like to think society nowadays is more forgiving and lenient then the late 1800's early 1900's. But that could be wishful thinking on my behalf. Woman certainly are more respected but now instead of being quietly critizied(sp?) people have fun new slang to hurl at them.

Mary found out what people thought of her from other people who most likely weren't speaking all that softly. But Sylvia wasn't as protected because her mother constantly pointed out all her flaws, something that I'm quite aware of mothers still doing today(my Junior essay was basically that topic ).

[The Whimsical Writer]

Oh dear I'm one of those (a mother I mean) 3 times over!!!

[The Lu¢kiest Jinx]

thats what makes her awesome.
she was different.
she didnt care, obviously, too much about what others thought about her.
She had an imagination like James did.

[Dulcet Drifter]

Which was a good thing because at least one woman in his life needed to have some imagination, or at least needed to express it anyway.

[The Whimsical Writer]

I suspect that really artistic pewople may often be rather difficult to comprehend unless you are on the same wavelength so even more important to share common interests otherwise the understanding isn't there & the relationship dies.
Have to say that what I have read about JMB & memories people have of him he was not a well liked man in general but then perhaps he was just misunderstood? When I have more time (if ever!! ) i.e. once we have moved & settled I shall read all the biographies I can about him & then share details.

[Dulcet Drifter]

Artistic people are hard to get along with especially when they're trying to do something, but you're not in the know and they try to tell you but you just don't get it. (that happened to me once, wasn't much fun)

[Loving Depp]

It didn't really seem to me that Sylvia really fit in with the other women. She spent all her time with her boys.. and I don't think she really cared too terribly much about what others thought of her. She was obviously different than the other women, such as Mary Barrie and her own mother who seemed much more conservative.

(woohoo! 100th post!)

[The Idyllic Idealist]

I really liked Sylvia because she was different. She loved her boys and spent her time playing with them and raising them. She must have had a more meaningful life that way instead of being so strict and behaving "properly" like the other women in those days.