Unfortunately, I haven't been able to see The Other Bennet Sister, but I read the book last year and I loved it! I have been able to keep up with clips from the show on Instagram and Facebook and hopefully I can view it sometime this summer.
I can relate to Mary on so many levels, the middle child and sister. Serious, introverted, gets lost in the arts, prefers books to people and always having her voice quieted. Oftentimes overlooked and ignored and what attention we get it's usually negative (somebody yelling at you or making you the joke of the situation.) When I saw this scene between Mary and Lizzie it really struck a chord with me.
When Mary started to call out Lizzie on how they were viewed so differently in the family and Lizzie began to deflect by telling Mary how much she admired her, that hit me hard. I've had similar conversations with my own family members; telling them how lonely I was growing up and how I always felt left out of which they go on the defensive and try to appeal to my better nature. I've been told that I seemed so independent and didn't need anyone or I always had such a good attitude about things I didn't seem to need help.
Everyone...every child need help. Regardless of if they look like they need it or not.
After seeing this interaction for the first time, I wondered, "If Lizzie admired her sister so much, why didn't she try and spend more time with her? Why didn't she defend her from her family?" Lizzie's heart may be in the right place, but at the center, she's self-preserving and not willing to admit that she was a part of the problem in Mary's life, because she neglected her just like everyone else in the Bennet family.
When talking about the Bennet sisters in my family, my older sister gets compared to Lizzy and I get compared to Jane and when my little sister asks who makes her, the conversation changes to something else. But I've never /felt/ like Jane (I think they say that just because I'm blonde and we tend to watch the 1995 version). Instead, I've always felt like Mary! Mary does have interesting things to say, people just think it's at the wrong time or ignore her because something else is happening. So I see you and I relate to this, too! <3
ReplyDelete"Everyone...every child need help. Regardless of if they look like they need it or not." YES!!