In a historical era where children could be used as cheap
labor, a novel like Fanny Fern’s Ruth Hall illustrates the humanity of
the young ones through the expressive emotions of Katy and Nettie. The
lack of concern for the children is evident in the dismissive manner in which,
against Ruth’s protestations, her father wants to send the two girls to the
Halls. Mr. Ellet sees Ruth’s daughters as “a great burden…[on her]
hands”, one that he is wont to put on his own (68). This glib tone is
mirrored in the Halls’ opinion of their grandchildren, as the supposed
conclusion of Dr. Hall that Katy and Nettie do “not [have] much Hall blood in
[them]” is reason enough to deserve compensation for their son’s
offspring. Neither side of the parents is concerned with the useless
assets of a misbegotten arrangement.
Such
blithe dismissal is at odds with both Ruth Hall and Ruth Hall.
Both Katy and Nettie are treated with a respect of character in particular
scenes highlighting their emotional struggles during the trying times of both
poverty and wealth. Katy’s fear of her grandfather Dr. Hall carries on
her face as “a troubled, anxious, care-worn look” in a paragraph cum chapter
that deals with the nature of Ruth’s troubles from the perspective of her
eldest living daughter (87). Just as much as Katy’s worth is given a
breadth of depth, so too does Nettie’s joy be given a showcase for the peer
infatuation of a schoolgirl crush through rapturous proclamation: “I’m in
love!” (194). These incidents of childhood life wrought better or
worse by circumstances are still more supported by Ruth’s care for her
children, be it for the love Ruth displays in seeing Katy’s safe return or the
advice to her young Nettie that “she was glad little Neddy loved [Nettie], and
[Nettie] might love him just as much as ever [Nettie] liked” (195). Such
care to be given in respecting a child’s love or safety is a task too daunting
for the father and the in-laws but quite probable for Ruth Hall.
AnnaliceWeatherly
The
climax of the novel for me is Ruth’s success.
Although Ruth is very intelligent, she is also very humble. She suffers a lot, but she does not let that
justifies her. As a matter of fact, Ruth
uses her pain and suffering to motivate herself and improve as a person. I love how she proves to everyone she could
succeed. I would have paid anything to
see the look in her mother-in-law’s face when she found out the book she loves
so much had been written by non other than her hatred daughter-in-law. “Impossible! Screamed the old lady, growing
very red in the face, and clearing her throat most vigorously” (Fern 261). Ruth would have said in your face, but I
would. I thought that was the best part
of the book.
I found the topic of Mrs. Hall to be interesting in class.
As a woman in the 1890’s she holds no power over herself (she belongs to her
husband), cannot own any property and is completely dependent on her husband to
provide for her. She is treated as a second-class citizen as her ideas are dismissed
simply because she is a woman. That being said, she seems desperate for any
sense of power and control in her life and has her sights set on fulfilling
this through her relationship with her daughter-in-law, Ruth. As the mother of
Harry, Mrs. Hall is able to have a certain level of influence and seems to
believe that Ruth will steal this precious commodity from her. When we are
first introduced to Mrs. Hall she is waiting for the newlyweds and states, “As
to Ruth, I don’t know anything about her. Of course she is perfect in his
eyes. I remember the time when he used to think me perfect” (10). She
immediately is competing with her daughter-in-law for the affections of her
son. Mrs. Hall often presents her ideals under the guise of being a pious and
sensible woman, but this also seems transparent to me that her motivation is
again control and power. After the death of her son and Ruth’s initial refusal
to give up custody of her daughters, Mrs. Hall makes it her mission to take
them from her. In addition, it’s only after criticism from members of her
church that she decides to even help Ruth. Mrs. Hall suggests to her husband
that they provide a small fund to Ruth for a limited time so that they “will look
better” (82). While all of these schemes and issues are vile attacks on a
seemingly good natured person, it can’t help me think about how sad and lonely
it must have been to be a woman during this time in American history.
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