Discuss how cultural circumstances effect a character's reaction to certain situations.
There is one major difference in The Good Corn and Turned and that is the reactions of the
wives to their husbands actions. In reality what the two men did was the same but how the
two women reacted was entirely different. Mrs. Mortimer forgave her husband and Mrs.
Marroner up and left her husband. This difference in reactions is caused by the different
cultural circumstances that the two women were in.
Mrs. Mortimer from the Good Corn was a farmer's wife, she was uneducated and had not
known any other lifestyle besides her country one, her isolation caused her to become
dependant on her husband and besides him Elsie was her only companion.
Mrs. Marroner on the other hand was a well educated, high society woman. She lived in
Boston, an upper-class suburb, had a Ph. D.
and once lectured at university. Because of her
suburban upbringing and education she was a confident and independent lady who relied on
no-one. She was the more dominant person in their marriage whereas in The Good corn Mr.
Mortimer was the dominant partner.
In The Good Corn when Mrs. Mortimer discovered that Elsie was pregnant she was at first
upset but later realised what a blessing the whole situation was, she had been longing for a
child for so long and was hoping that Elsie would give the baby to her. Mrs. Mortimer was not
overly upset with Mr. Mortimer because she felt that because she was in a depressed state
concerning her infertility that she pushed him away and also the fact that if she didn't forgive
her husband she would be left stranded with no-money, no possessions and not knowing
anybody because of her isolated circumstances.
Mrs. Marroner...