The Thorn Birds
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Which charactor do you like the most and dislike the most?
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I personally hated Fee with a burning passion. She got better towards the end, but she was a terrible mother and wife. I hated Dane and Ralph equally but not as much as Fee.My favorite character is probably Paddy. Fee didn't deserve him.
Zakiyyah wrote: "I personally hated Fee with a burning passion. She got better towards the end, but she was a terrible mother and wife. I hated Dane and Ralph equally but not as much as Fee.My favorite character i..."
I hated Fee as well, so much that I wanted to slap on her face to wake her up. She didn't deserve Paddy and Stu's love.
I dislike Ralph as well, were the actor good-looking, I wouldn't dislike him that much.
But why do you hate Dane?
I like very much Archbishop (later Cardinal) Vittorio , Ralph (de Bricassart), Meggie and Dane , but I don't really like Meggie's daughter ,Justine . The one I trully dislike is Mary Carson , Paddy's sister . She was the one that caused with her ridiculous behavior all those pain in Meggie and Raplh !
Vold95 wrote: "I like very much Archbishop (later Cardinal) Vittorio , Ralph (de Bricassart), Meggie and Dane , but I don't really like Meggie's daughter ,Justine . The one I trully dislike is Mary Carson , Paddy..."lol, if it hadn't been Mary Carson, then Paddy and his family wouldn't have moved to Australia, then Ralph and Meggie wouldn't have met, then there would be no pain.
Kidding, IMHO, it's not Mary to blame, it is Ralph himself! Men's stupid "ambition".
Sandy wrote: "Vold95 wrote: "I like very much Archbishop (later Cardinal) Vittorio , Ralph (de Bricassart), Meggie and Dane , but I don't really like Meggie's daughter ,Justine . The one I trully dislike is Mary..."Mary Carson did all these things only because she was in love with Ralph. It wasn't just Raplh fault! He told Meggie that he wasn't willing to leave church and Meggie never managed to stop loving Ralph. Ralph was indead ambitious but Mary Carson obligated Maggie to depend in Ralph for all her life. She also made sure that after she dies only Ralph, at first, will know of the new will — forcing him to choose between Meggie and his own ambition. That wasn't very moral . She knew that Ralph liked Meggie , she shouldn't cause pain with her behavior forcing him to choose between Meggie and ambition .
I really dislike Fee...she's so damn stupid!! and I kind of dislike Mary Carson...My fav character is Ralph, don't know why, but I really love him...and I pity him a little...
Anarchic Rain wrote: "I really dislike Fee...she's so damn stupid!! and I kind of dislike Mary Carson...My fav character is Ralph, don't know why, but I really love him...and I pity him a little..."
Ralph was no better than Luke, or even worse. Nick left no hope for Meggie, while Ralph kept Meggie longing for him.
Vold95 wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Vold95 wrote: "I like very much Archbishop (later Cardinal) Vittorio , Ralph (de Bricassart), Meggie and Dane , but I don't really like Meggie's daughter ,Justine . The one I trully d..."Ralph's decision had been made long before, he wouldn't leave church even for Meggie.
So their pain wouldn't change no matter what Mary had done.
It's like it's not the fault of the person who gave you the option, it all depends on whether you go for it or simply give it up.
Should Paddy's whole family and Ralph himself thank Mary? To some extent, I think yes.
Sandy wrote: "Vold95 wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Vold95 wrote: "I like very much Archbishop (later Cardinal) Vittorio , Ralph (de Bricassart), Meggie and Dane , but I don't really like Meggie's daughter ,Justine . The..."No, of course they shouldn't thank Mary! Mary took advantage of Ralph's ambition and sympathy for Meggie. She knew very well what was Ralph's foible. Ralph made his choices -right or wrong- , he made mistakes - who doesnt?- , but Mary shouldn't "force" him choose between church and Meggie by leaving him thirteen million pounds only because she was in love with another man who didn't love her the way she did!
Sandy, I don't think Ralph is making her wait... I think it's just her who wanna wait because she loves him so much and since so long... she knows very well that he doesn't want yo leave church because of his great ambition, and she knows that he loves her the same way... Meggie isn't stupid or vain, she understands him and accepts his weakness... and she puts up with what he has to give even if it's just a little of his time.
Although Ralph pledges himself entirely to the Church, but wasn't he kidding himself? He might have loved the Church, but his heart was filled with Meggie and that was always the truth no matter how much he denied it. If he could only accept this sooner, he wouldn't have battle against his inner desire with his Destiny, even Archbishop Vittorio realised this the instant Ralph showed weakness to the rose kept in his Bible.
Vold95 wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Vold95 wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Vold95 wrote: "I like very much Archbishop (later Cardinal) Vittorio , Ralph (de Bricassart), Meggie and Dane , but I don't really like Meggie's daughter ..."So to Ralph, Meggie's love wasn't worth "thirteen million pounds". :)
Anarchic Rain wrote: "Sandy, I don't think Ralph is making her wait... I think it's just her who wanna wait because she loves him so much and since so long... she knows very well that he doesn't want yo leave church bec..."A better Ralph would disappear for ever, he wouldn't appear when Meggie was labouring (sounds cruel though), also he wouldn't give Meggie a son.
Luke. Damn brute.
Sandy wrote: "Anarchic Rain wrote: "Sandy, I don't think Ralph is making her wait... I think it's just her who wanna wait because she loves him so much and since so long... she knows very well that he doesn't wa..."I don't think so. Ralph couldn't disappear because his love for Meggie is genuine. All the same, Meggie couldn't restrain her feelings for him. And when she was labouring, she needed the greatest love of her life to be beside her, even if he's not the father. On top of all, she strongly wanted a son from Ralph, who made her remember her love for the rest of the life. Unfortunately the perfect son (Dane) died young.
But I believe that the author wanted to show us a love stronger than every human (and divine) law, a love that can be separated but is always the most precious thing they have. Personally, I like this kind of love, maybe because I think that tragedy is the essence of every true feeling...
(uh, that's a kind of desperate thought XD)
Anarchic Rain wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Anarchic Rain wrote: "Sandy, I don't think Ralph is making her wait... I think it's just her who wanna wait because she loves him so much and since so long... she knows very well that..."Ah Ancharchic, maybe you are right, thanks, just like the last sentence of the book "still we do it"...
ahahaah thanx but even if I believe in this kind of love, I hope there's another one filled with happiness *__* ;)
Anarchic Rain wrote: "ahahaah thanx but even if I believe in this kind of love, I hope there's another one filled with happiness *__* ;)"For sure, Ralph and Meggie's love was just too miserable.
Fee - because she, with her bovine atitude towards her only daughter, didn´t prepare her for no situation of her life: Maggie learned what the period was through Ralph, for example. Fee didn´t deemd to care for her daughter for anything else than helping around the house.Luke, because he married her for the money she had, gave her no companionship or love and was an authentic Scrooge. He trully nhever wanted to get married: he was happiest among his mates, than to start a proper family, that Maggie supposed that he wanted. Was brute and very unisteresting.
Maria wrote: "Fee - because she, with her bovine atitude towards her only daughter, didn´t prepare her for no situation of her life: Maggie learned what the period was through Ralph, for example. Fee didn´t deem..."Agree, Fee was too hateful to be true. Unbelievable.
Sandy wrote: "I dislike Fee the most.So far, I like Rainer the most, I'm now reading the last chapter "Justine", almost finished."
Dane?He was sweet and adorable and wanted to be a priest like Ralph and he didn't know who his father was.Fee is cold hearted in the beginning and never shows her emotions and love but she improves later.I like Rainer the most too and Justine especially who is a good actress and is very intelligent,the brightest of the women in the book actually.She suffers so much and i am happy that she finds a loving man.She deserves to be loved so much!More than Meggie;I hate Ralph when Meggie grows up and i think he is just selfish and full of despict for Meggie..He is the character i hate equally with Mary.They both are greedy and ambitious..
Severina wrote: "Sandy wrote: "I dislike Fee the most.So far, I like Rainer the most, I'm now reading the last chapter "Justine", almost finished."
Dane?He was sweet and adorable and wanted to be a priest like R..."
Great minds think alike. lol
For me, the most disliked is Justine. I know she's afraid of letting people get too close and all, but she is one of the most arrogant, nasty, condescending characters I've ever read that we're apparently supposed to root for. In my darker moments reading that book, I *wanted* her to find out that Dane wasn't her full brother, so she'd get taken down a peg. Though I know that's not fair; the situation was hardly of her own making. My favorite was Meggie's friend Annie, who should have been able to have her own children. At least she lucked out with a great husband.
For me I really didn't like Father Ralph. He groomed Meggie (as in child grooming). It doesn't make it any better that he didn't make a move until she was an adult; Justine was right that he was always kinda smarmy. :/ I wasn't fond of Fee either; she might not have had a lot of choice, considering the time period-but that didn't mean she had to be so damn cold to everyone but Frank either. The way she didn't bother raising her offspring... it's no wonder they were all so messed up.
The most hated for me was Ralph. Yes, this ''perfect prince'', only the white horse was missing from his entire awful existence. As others said, he was grooming young Meggie and when she became an adult, he was just playing with her. ''Mister Perfect'' wanted to be a good man and loyal to his God but he wasn't loyal to anyone except his misery. I equally hated Luke, this misogynist, senseless scum. Fee was a very bad and bitter character because of the many difficulties she had to face through her life which of course aren't excuses for her bad behaviors. In the end she improves so she is not as disliked as the first two characters. Meggie is just an abandoned child who grows up to be a woman really desperate for love. Even though she is very beautiful and sweet and can have the best man who can cherish her, she chooses two of the worst. She doesn't want to change, she doesn't know how love and a healthy romantic relationship really is and she prefers to be stuck with a man that throws her crumbs of attention whenever he wants. I don't hate her. I just feel pity for her as I feel for the most of the characters in this book except Justine who seems to be the one that gets her shit together and chases happiness. Justine, Annie and Paddy for me were the most likeable from all the characters. They were loving, caring and warm.
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So far, I like Rainer the most, I'm now reading the last chapter "Justine", almost finished.