Character Analysis: Fall On Your Knee

Anne Marie MacDonalds novel Fall on your Knee’s raises a multitude of questions that are significant in the upbringing of a child. One key concept that is brought up is during the talk amongst the Taylor’s, after they give advice to a child. ““Good, I told him to ask you.” Adelaide believes that all children should have enough grown-ups around who love them so that one can tell them to fight, one can tell them not to and one can tell them not to worry so much.” This quote, holds great significance within the story given the times a child has required the moral, or educational guidance from an adult. Such as Materia Going to Mrs. Luvovitz in teaching her how to perform housewife duties, or aiding her in childbirth. However, a central notion

For her desire to become a motherly figure is demonstrated in her recreating scenes from ‘little women.’ “Mercedes would be Motherly Meg, and Frances would be tomboy Jo who cuts off her hair but gets married in the end, and Lily would be delicate Beth who was so nice then she died.” For in her youth Mercedes, Frances, and Lily re-created stories, and through the actions of make-belief, they adopted figures of people that represented who they desire to become. Moreover, in to her teens, Mercedes begins to demonstrate her desire towards heroic figures such as Rudolph Valentino, and then falling for Ralph. Yet, Mercedes quickly learns she falls in love with actual people, and not the make-belief characters, as Frances does. However, she also begins to demonstrate her appeal towards Victorian literature such as Jane Eyre. Additionally, her love for Victorian literature may be due to how real they can be for individuals like Mercedes, which connects with her role of trying to be a religious, independent female that takes care of her family. This influences Mercedes to become, and act like a ‘proper lady’, and is referred as “Miss Piper” throughout town. Mercedes becomes so encapsulated with Victorian literature, she also adopts the era’s clothing style. Lastly, is Mercedes devotion towards religious figures such as Bernadette, which she then attempts to push onto Lily in to

In his youth, there seemed to have been an attempt for him to delve into literature, yet for the reading he was focused on varied from encyclopedia’s, philosophy, and historical events. However, these forms of literature that lacked the significant aspect of practical knowledge an adult would give. The modes of knowledge James obtained was intelligence rather wisdom. Yet throughout James’ life, he was constantly unable to delve in to any readings. Which is problematic given his father abandoned him, and his mother died when he was fifteen. However, is a peculiar case like Materia, because James becomes connected to literature when he’s an adult. When this happened, three books stood out. The first one is Aesop’s tale of the Ant and the Grasshopper, when he sent to Kathleen when she was in boarding school. The purpose why James sent his daughter this story, is to assert himself as the concept of the Ant who plans ahead, whereas Kathleen is the Grasshopper that faces the consequences due to her gift of singing. “he would send her to Halifax for a year to get her sea-legs. Then on to Milano at eighteen. Kathleen turned twelve.” James sets himself up as the figure that desired to control Kathleen’s future, whereas Kathleen is in the place where the only skill trait she possess is her ability to sing. The second piece of literature that stood out for James is Freud’s theory of the “Dark continent”, and how James sought to understand why Kathleen acted the way she