Question D

[Jonetta]

Mortimer deliberately cripples Lorelai, kills her animals and obviously abuses her sister-in-law. Did you ever get the sense that she had any intense feelings of hatred or bad feelings toward him? Did his father knowingly protect him?

[Robin]

It felt like Lorelai didn't have strong feelings toward Mortimer. I certainly hated him, but she seemed to give him a pass. I believe their father was afraid of his son.

[Charlene]

I think she kept her feeling very deep inside, out of fear that he might harm her more. I agree that their father was helpless against Mortimer, a sad comment on his fathering of a daughter.

[Anita]

I got the feeling that Lorelai was afraid to Mortimer and did her best to stay out of his sight as much as possible. The father was a pathetic excuse for a parent. I also think the father was afraid of Mortimer, but not getting Lorelai's ankle set was inexcusable.

[Jonetta]

Mortimer was a degenerate and his father knew it. But, he was his only male heir (that law has led to the destruction of so many) and turned his head on his evilness. I agree, Anita, that not having Lorelai’s leg set was awful.

Lorelai probably adopted her father’s attitude about Mortimer, something she had to live with and to give him a wide berth. It wasn’t until she learned what he had done to Ash that she gave up on him.

[Karen ♐]

I thought the father was afraid of Mortimer also. And I believe that Lorelei was afraid of him also and kept her feelings about him to herself. It was horrible that her leg was not set and she had to deal with all that pain.

[Lauren]

I agree with Karen. Lorelai's father was afraid of his son as well.

Yes, Lorelai feared him, but she had put aside her hatred over the years because she realized she was only harming herself with it. Mortimer became inconsequential to her which is its own kind of punishment against a man who wants to be the center of everything.

[Jonetta]

I never considered that Lorelai’s father feared Mortimer and it’s a great point. Easier to turn a “blind” eye. Lorelai just learned to live with what she couldn’t change.