2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #1 discussion

Agnes was being physically abused by Lars but adamantly defended him and blamed herself. Do you think it was because she depended on him to take care of her family, believed it was her fault or a combination of both? Did you understand her behavior?

Agnes and the children were totally dependent on Lars. There is a good chance that she will lose the tenement apartment she and her children live in if Lars isn't there to pay the bills. She may be able to do laundry or sewing to make some money, but she can't go work in a sweatshop like Gerda did if she has several children to take care of. There also seems to be a mindset among women who were abused believing that they deserved the beating for something they did. I just don't understand that.

I think Agnes typified the abused wife syndrome. That hasn't changed much, if at all, all these years later. Abused women in that time would've had even less resources to leave their abusers than they do now plus they would've faced less sympathy for doing so.

And the sad thing is that though Lars will face some jail time for killing Gerda it will likely leave Agnes and their three kids destitute. I can see her being unable to earn enough to house and feed them all, probably resulting in her giving up some if not all the children, or even possibly having to turn to prostitution herself. As hard as life was for them with Lars around, their lives likely only got worse.

Well put, both of you. It was disheartening to realize we haven’t moved very far in over a century with respect to issues related to women.

Agnes certainly didn’t have a lot of options.

Agree with you all. The charity girls and Agnes did not have much joy in life, did they?

Not much.

Agree with you all. Another issue that hasn't changed much over the centuries.

I agree with everything you all said. 100 years later and we still have abusers and their partners who blame themselves instead of the one hitting them.