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Other Peoples Children written by Joanna Trollope studies, ultimately, the construction of a new family. It strongly challenges the issue of ste parenting by examining the assembly of a step- family, the problems which occur as a result and the formation and disintegration of relationships surrounding this new family. Trollope became a stepmother when she wed her second husband in 1983 and although she insists that her experience was not the motivation behind this novel, it certainly gives an accurate insight into the world of step families. A marriage has just taken place; Matthew and Josie both left broken down marriages to person something new, a love in which they envisaged hope and happiness.
However as these two are being rescued from inevitably failed marriages, the children of both Josie and Matthew feel they are being dragged in chains to be part of what they regard as a constructed family which they want no role in. Becky, Clare and Rory are adolescent products of Matthews previous marriage. All three of them are bitter towards the prospect of a stepfamily and have been conditioned by their erotic mother Nadine to despise Josie. Rufus is the eight year old child of Josie. He has lived the extent of his young life surrounded by a stepbrother and sister, Lucas and Dale, now in their late twenties whos mother died tragically when they were young.
Rufus misses his father Tom and enjoys the company of his fathers new fiance, Elizabeth. The likelihood of yet another stepmother disturbs Dale, a grown woman who has never come to accept the death of her mother and the loss of her childhood. The theme of stepmothers in the novel becomes very apparent as Josie and Elizabeth both find themselves fighting to save their relationships as they are faced on their own with the task of becoming and stepmother, and preparing to become one. They shouldnt be called weddings This controversial comment begins the book as Josie and Matthew stand at the alter, both having been married before.
This immediately gives a negative view of the wedding and is a rather condescending comment, it implies that a second marriage is inferior in a way, thought less of by people and therefore does not deserve the praise that would be given to people engaging in marriage for the first time. Becky is the oldest of Matthews three children at fifteen and refuses to talk to Josie, she even refuses to eat the food Josie makes for them. Becky deliberately smashes a picture Josie hung on her bedroom wall, and begins to stamp the broken pieces of glass into the ground- Someone, Becky thought, stamping and stamping, has to be punished. Becky is taking advantage of this new, unstable family situation.
She is using Josie as a scapegoat for the blame, she wants someone to suffer for all the hurt and unfairness she feels she is being subjected to. Josie is in a fragile position and Becky is determine to take as much advantage of that fact as possible. The feelings Becky is showing, along with Clare and Rory, are partly due to the opinions of their mother, who is constantly blaming Josie for stealing her family. Becky is very much influenced by her mother and is extremely loyal towards her, she feels that by being cruel to Josie she will be standing up for Nadine. Josie has already been a stepmother once before, to Dale, the daughter of Tom and his first wife.
To begin with, she takes the role of stepmother to Matthews children with composure Mum, Ive been there and done it. Ive been a stepmother well do it together. Yet as time goes by Josie finds the children increasingly hard to deal with. She feels she is doing everything humanly possible to make a go of this family and still no one will support her Why, am I supposed to love your children when nobody expects to even try and love me? . Here Josie feels rejected, she now sees the unfairness that stepmothers are faced with. She swore holy matrimony to Matthew, not his children, and feels trapped in a situation which she has no control over.
Josie is faced with such high expectations by the community, she feels she can not relate to Matthew anymore. She believes if the situation were reversed onto Matthew and he failed as a step arent the reaction from the community would be Oh well, poor bugger, at least he tried. Whereas the penalty for herself would be much higher because she is a woman. When Josie applies for a new teaching post at a local school the head teacher tells her that she wont have to apologize too much to the community because she will have the advantage of a teacher status. Josie asks if it is because she is Matthews second wife and is told in return Its more being a stepmother people dont like change.
The wicked stepmother view is being referred to more frequently within the novel, a concept which was begun in fairytales. Josie explains her feelings to Karen, Matthews sister One of society's many myths is that stepmothers are cruel, but has it ever struck you that stepchildren can be quite as cruel as stepmothers are supposed to be? . Here there is a reversal of the wicked stepmother role, Josie is suggesting that it is the children who are cruel and is angry that she is being stereotyped in such a way by the community. Elizabeth, the stepmother-to-be of Rufus, Dale and Lucas is also reminded of the cliched view of stepmothers by her father, Duncan, who took to reading fairytales about stepmothers. He thinks to himself as he sees his daughter walking amicably with Rufus up to his front door The stories has shocked him with their remorseless insistence on the inevitable wickedness of any woman when faced with the care of children not her own, These thoughts mirror the feelings of Becky towards Josie, the ruth fulness she feels towards Josie and her ignorance, she judges Josie without even perceiving her as the person she is. Elizabeth, in comparison, feels very drawn in to Rufus, they both seem to feel excited about the prospect of becoming stepmother and son.
Dale, however is a completely new experience for Elizabeth. Although in her late twenties, Dale is needy and resents having to share her father with anyone else, she resented Josie and still does Rufus. She lashes out when Lucas implies that Josie didnt take much from the family Rufus did wouldnt be our half-brother, if it wasnt for Josie. Seeing her father with this new unknown woman worries Dale, she is anxious that just after recovering her father from Josie, she will have to give him up again to another women. Elizabeth slowly becomes wary and irritated by Dales volatile ways after she moves in with Tom. Dale continually lets herself into the house unannounced, which offends Elizabeth as she feels she has no privacy.
This is also an issue for Dale who feels that Elizabeth is prying into a world she knows nothing about, Dale wants to keep the life she had with her mother seperate and not allow Elizabeth to share any of it with her. Dale is extremely obsessive about her room and the privacy which she demands Dales bedroom would have to stay locked safeguard the past, Dales past: Dales childhood. Elizabeth feels that she is competing with Pauline, Toms first wife who tragically died when Dale and Lucas were children. She feels the pressure of constantly being compared with this ghost, an idealized perfect mother whom she knows she cannot contend. The drawing room of Toms house angers Elizabeth because it is a shrine to Pauline, her pictures and photos displayed on every possible counter or wall. She feels slightly condoled by the thought of Josie she winsome kind of ally, a silent supporter in the subtle war of independence against the impregnable perfection of the ghost of Pauline.
The only type of support Elizabeth feels is from the ex-wife of Tom, to whom she has never spoken. As Josie has survived the same experience, attempting to overcome the dominance of Pauline, Elizabeth sees some hope, if one person has manged to do it, so will she. A major conflict arises between Elizabeth and Dale, Dale is offended that Elizabeth has rearranged the drawing room which her mother designed and becomes angry with Elizabeth Youll never understand us because you cant, because you cant feel what weve felt, you cant know what we know, youll never belong. This comment makes Elizabeth feel extremely patronized and encourages her to think about her life.
She feels inadequate because Tom has lived a life, he may have suffered the trauma of his wifes death but in a way Elizabeth feels envious. Dale made her feel as if she had lived too a sheltered life to experience any of the feelings she has felt. Elizabeth also feels, as Josie does, that she is fighting this battle on her own. Tom warned Elizabeth what Dale was like to begin with and yet he will take no part in trying to explain to Dale that as a new couple, they need their own space.
Eventually the pressure of Dale becomes to much for Elizabeth and she shows great strength in character when she decides to break off the engagement with Tom and save herself I cant marry you you never warned me that youd do nothing to stop her (Dale). Dale is not the sole reason for the break up but also Elizabeth sees that Tom does not give her the security and support she wished for, although she loves him very much. Dales attitude would lead to many problems and put so much strain on the relationship that realistic it would never succeed. The succession of the relationship between Josie and Becky continues to appear very bleak, especially when Josie finally lashes out at Becky and hits her, the result of which Josie running away but eventually she is found.
Nadine is distraught by what has happened to her daughter, and feels she cannot cope alone, so she phones up Becky crying hysterically begging her to come to see her. Here Becky is the one doing the mothering, Nadine is dependent on the love of her children and Becky feels it is her duty to go and see her mother, however reluctant she is to want to do so. Josie offers to take Becky to see her mother, and with no other realistic option she agrees. This situation brings hope, Becky is eventually giving into Josie she feels a define step towards the family she has wanted for so long a real, palpable reluctance between her and Becky to part.
Becky feels she can rely on Josie and realises she is more comforted by the presence of Josie than the presence of Nadine, whom she still loves dearly but regards as a strain. Other Peoples Children is a book unquestionably focused on the issue of step families, however I regard it also as a story of personal achievement. Both Josie and Elizabeth succeed in a way, Josie finally seeing glimpses of hope flicker in regards to her relationship with Becky and the development of the family. Elizabeth, however weak and incompetent she seemed to begin with, towards the end of the novel she shows great character strength to stand up for herself even if it means loosing her fiance.
The book ends with Karen, Matthews sister, looking up at the house Josie, Matthew and the children live in She glanced up at the house. Almost all the windows were open. One day, she told herself, one day. This image is very powerful in that there is a house, a very dominant family possession within which all the windows are open, giving the feel of people opening up their hearts and being honest with one another, no longer building their feelings up inside them. Here Karen has hope for the family as it develope's and feels that one day they will be just like a normal family.
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Research essay sample on Wicked Stepmother Drawing Room
