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Character Role Analysis

Rose/Ruth

Rose is being trained to follow in Ruth's footsteps as a well-bred, proper lady who sacrifices her own personal passions or happiness in order to pursue financial security. When Rose resents that she has to marry Cal to save the family from financial ruin, Ruth calls her selfish, basically saying that life isn't fair for women and Rose just needs to accept that and suck it up.

However, Rose doesn't suck it up—she runs off with Jack, refuses to marry Cal, and goes on to have lots of other exciting adventures that a nice, well-bred girl shouldn't be having. In short, she refuses to become her mother. By showing the two women together and their different value systems, you really see a glimpse of what Rose's future could have been, and everything that she ends up rejecting.