Hayeon Jin / Chapter 2 part 2 B-1 / Wed. 1-2

Can you understand why Esther killed Laurence? Can you accept that she did so?

The story written by E. Pauline Jonson shows how a woman
in love got to kill her lover. Easter is the daughter of pagan Indian. Laurence, the nephew of Father Paul, loved her and wanted to marry her. However, Father Paul strongly opposed to their marriage because she is the daughter of 'uncivilized' pagan Indian. It just happened that Easter heard Father Paul and Laurence talking, and she got to be in a great despair and fury. Father Paul was the one who cared and loved her, so she couldn't imagine him talking about her in such an offensive manner. Plus, Laurence was persuaded by him and decided to give up on her. She could not handle her resentment and grief, and killed Laurence at the end.

I can partly understand why Esther killed Laurence. He was her solace, and they loved each other. However, Laurence gave up on her after listening to Father Paul's intense objection. Father Paul was the one who Esther highly esteemed and venerated, so it came to be an act of severe betrayal for Esther to hear Father Paul insulting her origin, parents, and herself. That is why I understand the point that she wanted to make Father paul mourn for the loss of his beloved nephew. Her wound would have been so painful that she could not help hurting Father Paul back.

However, I can never accept her act of murdering Laurence. Even though Esther terribly got disappointed by Laurence and Father Paul, Laurence was the one she loved. How could a person kill his or her lover? Even Laurence gave up on Esther at the end, she knew that he had loved her. Therefore, her idea of ' If I can't have you, so do others! ' was too hasty and immature. Plus, if Esther really loved Laurence, she should have found other ways to be with him, persuading Father Paul or moonlight flitting for instance.