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McDowell loved nothing but himself... I strongly believe he liked Carole the least because he only cared for those who attended to his needs......

Dael Reader wrote: ↑11 Oct 2018, 18:37 I don't think he really cared for any of them. The only person McDowell really cared about was himself. He seemed to be indifferent to everyone else. He tolerated those who served his needs, when they served his needs. Otherwise, he probably never gave a second thought to any of them.

I agree with this view.

I think he liked Carole the least. He had become indifferent to her to the point where he really did not care how she felt. In terms of love, I think he cared the most for Hulga. In time, he probably would have developed strong feelings for Winona.

Too bad for this situation, but this is already the trend of the world. All i can say is, this man is playing polygamy after he was married. He never understand what is the essence of marraige.

If you ask me about McDowell's female relationships, I think he was an opportunistic person in this matter. I am sure he liked Rima, his companion in Nepal the most. Once, he even thought of divorcing his wife for the sake of continuing his relationship with Rima. He always talked good things about her. Though he had sexual encounters with many other women, his liking for them was short-lived. The women he liked the least was Carole, his wife. It appears as he married her just for the sake of providing a guardian to his children from his previous marriage. As told earlier, he was ready for divorce with her.

I am not sure if he loved the mother of his children or not, but, otherwise, he seems incapable of genuinely loving a woman or fully dedicating himself to a woman. I have to agree with the others that the person he loves most and always wants to protect is himself.

As for me generally, Hiram neither liked his wives nor lovers therefore he just liked himself much. As per my opinion he never had enough time with his third wife Carole and even he don't care devosing with her. So i can guess to some extend Carole is the one who was littly liked.

McDowell was married thrice. He did not seem to be a very responsible husband. However, in the second part of the story, he had more self-realization which helped him to form sincere relationships with the ladies that he came across at that time.

I think he liked Winona the most and Carole the least. He treated Carole like she meant nothing to him. I don't understand why he married her at all. For Winona, we primarily get to read her side of things but not really Hiram's side so I can't be sure if they would have formed a good, healthy couple.

He didn't care of anyone. He treated women like object, wich I disliked that while reading the book.

He treated his wives like trash. He only seemed to take interest in his lovers, and that too for his selfish reasons. Maybe due to lack of regular contact and touch, his interest didn't veer from his lovers. Otherwise, he treated all women like objects. Real care was never there.

I don't think he loved any of his wives, he married just to show to the society that he is a family man. He never loved them. But I think in the second part he did had some feelings for Hulga and could have stayed with her if he was not on the run.

I don’t think he really cared for the women in the book. I think his motives were always so self centered that I doubt be really thought about them unless he was with them at that moment. He started to change toward the end of the book but I still don’t think he thought much of women except for his daughter

I kind of wonder what all these women saw in Hiram. Then I remember that they are fictional and quite often artificially desperate in their portrayal.

Theresam wrote: ↑15 Dec 2018, 01:13 I don’t think he really cared for the women in the book. I think his motives were always so self centered that I doubt be really thought about them unless he was with them at that moment. He started to change toward the end of the book but I still don’t think he thought much of women except for his daughter

Agreed! But even with Sophie, Hiram often was very derisive or combative in his inner thoughts toward her. I also feel that he automatically needed to make sure she was taken care of because of her female status.