Lamplighter Prompt

To be completely honest, the only connection that I could find among the three girls was the little girl in the video, Anna, seemed indecisive and eager to please like Ellen. Ellen was always trying to please her mother and in doing so, changing her mind constinetely when her opinion differed from her mothers...
" A most beautiful page, indeed; is this your choice Ellen?"
"well, mamma, I don't know; what do you think?"
"I think it is rather inconveniently large and heavy for everyday use. It is quite a weight upon my lap. I shouldn't like to carry it in my hands long. You would want a little table on purpose to hold it."
"Well, that wouldn't do at all," said Ellen, laughing. "I believe you are right, mamma..."

Now if it were Gerty on the show, I think the outcome may have been equal. Both girls aim to please. Neither seems clear about their choices. When asked if she likes the 3rd grade Anna says, "It's not really too hard, but it's not too easy." It's almost as if she wants to stay neutral because she may be afraid of what the adults may think of her answer.

Gerty is the same way. She instictively wants to please True as if it were wired into her little adolescent brain, "O, I wish I could do something for Uncle True!" (p. 31). Again, later in the text, Gerty tries to make True happy by preparing toast. But, in this instance, she forgets about the toast and it burns, "The tears came into Gerty's eyes;- she looked very much disappointed, but said nothing." She wanted so desperately to do something for nice for True--even something as simple as making toast.

I don't feel Gerty is so different from Anna. I think she would have been shy and reserved just as Anna. Most children that age are reserved; testing the waters if you will. Of course Gerty may have shown a bit of a temper if you mention Nan Grant or her kitten. But, other then that, I don't see her as much different from children now. In fact, I'm glad she's fisty. It makes her believable; not make up like Ellen. There are no children now-a-days like Ellen.