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Farida Bali wrote: ↑10 Nov 2018, 09:25

Fozia-Bajwa wrote: ↑09 Nov 2018, 16:42 McDowell is the an abuser of women. Wherever he was, he is making victim to the different ladies. At home, he ignores his wife and at the place of his professional activities he plays with women like a game. He thinks women are only the source of entertainment for him and nothing more.

But his attitude towards women changed significantly after meeting Maud, her daughter and Hulga.

Okay, Thanks for the compliment.

I don't think we have enough information to say that there even was a change in attitude. When he's on the run, he has to rely on anyone he can to get by. He's smart enough to know how to endear himself to women to get the kind of sympathy he wants. He probably would have had less success with men. The author simply chose to place more women in his path.

The shift reflected a growth in his character as a human being.

Sometimes it takes a person being pushed to a corner to realize the error of his/her ways. For me that doesnt matter as much as the end result. If it changes a person for the better, then its worth going through the process

In my opinion, it did start from loneliness before he met Maud. But as Hiram met Hulga and Winona, I do think that it is more of growth rather than loneliness.

I think it was a definite shift in his development as a character. He treated women with such disdain thinking that they had nothing else to offer besides their bodies. He learned powerful lessons from these women, however. He learned humility and understanding. Basically what it means to be a human with feelings.

His change in how he viewed women definitely showed his growth as a character.

It was part loneliness and part his shift in attitude. He did had a very profound impact on him by women, especially Maud changed him for good. It was a big turn in his character.

He did became considerate n the second half of the book, I think it was because of no human contact that he eventually started valuing others. He actually listened to those women's and was considerate and caring towards them as he tried understood mistakes of his past.

I agree - his relationships with Maude hulga and Winona showed how his opinion of women went through a transformation - he seemed to value their opinions and showed genuine respect for them in a way he did not express in the beginning of the book

I think it's a bit of both, really: it's a response to his overwhelming loneliness (and ironically, despite his low opinion of women, they are the ones who are able to answer that loneliness) and that facilitates his development as a character/human being. Great question!

I believe the shift in Hiram’s improved character comes from both growth as a human being and overwhelming loneliness. I wish he had more time to experience his new self before his story ended.

kdstrack wrote: ↑19 Oct 2018, 16:10 I think it was loneliness. When he was on the run, he didn't have all his internet of connections and activities to fall back on to fill up the emptiness. Being alone made him realize that he needed other people.

Completely agree with this comment, I think a big part of him opening up to women was about loneliness and a need for human contact

I am not so sure I would call the shift subtle in his perception of women. But the man was in no way done shifting at the end of the novel either. He still treated plenty of women as throwaway pieces...just treated them a tad better in the meantime.

I also think that this stance has quite a bit to say about the author's perception of women as well. The way he describes new female characters in comparison to male characters as well as what drives both genders appear quite sexist.

Zora C Penter wrote: ↑08 Feb 2019, 18:31 I am not so sure I would call the shift subtle in his perception of women. But the man was in no way done shifting at the end of the novel either. He still treated plenty of women as throwaway pieces...just treated them a tad better in the meantime.

I also think that this stance has quite a bit to say about the author's perception of women as well. The way he describes new female characters in comparison to male characters as well as what drives both genders appear quite sexist.

I guess I’m just gonna follow you around this board quoting you, Zora. Hope you don’t mind.

I agree. To me, it seemed like Coles *wanted* there to be a shift but could not pull it off because:

1. He could not let Hiram stay in one place and therefore be committed to a woman. This means functionally, Hiram’s behavior isn’t different even if his inner experience is. This is a major flaw in the book to me. Coles seems to focus on attitude more than action in many places and I think that’s a misguided way to value character.

2. Coles himself doesn’t know how to treat his female characters like fully fleshed-out regular humans and so his portraits of the women and how Hiram interacts with them therefore don’t come off as less sexist to me in Part Two.

I will say, Maud is a little bit different in terms of Hiram’s willingness to risk his freedom to stay close by as Kitsy recovers. So I get those who might tell me Maud is something of a real change. I am just not sure it is enough. And of all the women Hiram is with, Maud and Roma were probably my favorites. I suppose actually liked Kitsy pretty well and her relationship with Maud, even if I don’t agree with Kitsy’s decision.