Comment on Pamela

I know most of you probably won't agree with me, but I really like the book. I actually was really tempted to read ahead of the assigned reading, (which I hate doing since I have an awful memory) and I was only able to force myself not to, by starting another book (which wasn't good either...because I ended up reading that on Yom Kipper). I can actually understand why people wouldn't like the book, but I think because of my different background, the emphasis on her virtue/virginity really doesn't bother me. I had a similar education growing up, and I was told many of the same things (in regards to sex-ed I mean, I am Jewish not Protestant). I remember when I was in elementary school we were told a story about a bunch of young women who committed suicide in a cattle car to escape being raped. We were learning this story in reference to when it's appropriate to kill yourself al Kiddish Hashem which roughly means, to sanctify God. My teachers told this story as a lesson to us girls, and I remember actually thinking to myself, I hope I would be strong enough to do that, and really respected what they did. Granted, it was WWII, and those girls probably would have been killed anyway, but you're not allowed to kill yourself to just escape a more horrific death. But you can kill yourself in God's name, when you need to prevent yourself from committing atrocious sins against God's will...and a girl maintaining her virginity seems to fit that category. I guess I just wanted to kind of explain why I understand her...so when she says all those things about contemplating suicide and the like, and how maintaining her virtue is so important, I don't find it annoying, since I was taught the same thing.
Pamela to me is a fascinating character. With the first reading assignment I didn't think much about her pertness to Mr B. (although I did enjoy it), but after last lecture I've come to realize she really has a lot of courage and nerve. I remember ( from last semester) that when Jane Eyre said to Mrs Reed the infamous line "They're not fit to associate with me" that was a big deal, and Jane was their cousin and ward, not a lower class servant...Pamela's really crossing social bounds, it's pretty impressive. I also love comparing the letter that Mr. B told Pamela to write to Mrs. Jervis to what Pamela actually wrote. To me, it's Pamela's act of rebellion...she's forced to write the letter, so she'll write it under protest. Her changes are small...but they do present the letter in a completely different tone...like adding "I Have been vilely trick'd"... and how she adds at the end how she's forced to undergo this mistreatment only due to her poverty.
My last comment is in reference to the Mr. B and Pamela relationship. I kind of had a rough synopsis of the book before reading it, and I had been wondering how Pamela could ever contemplate liking Mr. B let alone marrying him. He's like the biggest scoundrel ever, he keeps trying to rape her and even kidnaps her..and then she would even think about marrying him. She may be worthy enough, but what about him? I actually told myself I would or could never forgive Mr. B...but then when I got to the end of today's reading, I was like...we'll he never would have raped her, and he really does love her...maybe they should get married. I know I'm disgustingly romantic, but come on...what double standards! It reminds me of the book Ruth by Elizabeth Gaskell. Ruth is similar to Pamela, she's good, beautiful and poor, but unfortunately she didn't receive Pamela's religious education...so she ended up becoming a mistress, and she then had a son. Afterwards, however, Ruth learns why what she did was wrong, and repents, and becomes a very virtuous person...and for many years she's able to pass as a widow, so she becomes very respected and admired in her new community. However, when they find out that she was never married...she's condemned by her wealthy patron, while he in turn supports her ex-lover for a position in parliament(although he doesn't know it's her ex-lover).To make a long story short, Ruth is finally deemed a good person after she sacrifices her own life to save her ex-lover's. Why is it that Ruth dies and her ex-lover does not? Why is she excommunicated, and he elected to parliament? To get back to Pamela, why do I forgive Mr. B, when I probably wouldn't be as forgiving to Pamela. I'm aware of my own double standards, but I'm trying to overcome them...because it's just not fair. Pamela shouldn't have had to struggle to protect her virginity, and then as a reward get to marry her oppressor. Forget about her reward, where's his punishment? Why doe he not have to be virtuous? It's very upsetting to me when I really think about it...Why didn't she marry Mr. Williams instead? I admit, I found Williams annoying as a character, but Richardson could have made him less annoying, and as a reward Pamela could have married him. (And then it would have been like a double stab to Mr B. after all didn't he predict their marriage in his letter to Pamela's father?) But instead of Pamela and Mr Williams being poor, a wealthy nobleman could have so much respected Mr. Williams action of protecting a virtuous spirit, that despite Mr. B's demotion of Mr Williams, this wealthy nobleman could have given them an extremely profitable position, and they could both rise virtuously together in the world. Meanwhile Mr. B can continue living a life full of vice and go heavily in debt due to his mistresses and gambling. Why does Mr. William, a person who protects virtue, become the one who's in debt? The outcome doesn't seem fair to me. I know I'm rambling, so I'll stop. Michelle