Diana shows poor judgement when
she gets pregnant with a married man.
Diana is a saintly
presence. She is endlessly patient and supportive of the other factory girls. She has worked
at the factory for fifteen years, and she acts as teacher and mother to new girls. finds her to
be a source of support and friendship.
When Lyddie gets a new girl to train,
Brigid, she has trouble at first. Lyddie likes to focus on herself and takes pride in being
fast and efficient. Having a trainee just annoys her and she feels like the girl slows her
down. Diana comes to the rescue and is calm and caring to the girl when Lyddie cant
be.
When Brigid has trouble with a knot, Lyddie shouts at her, irritated that
she has not learned how to do it herself yet. Diana steps in to help them.
The girl burst into tears again, and before Lyddie could decide what
to do with her, Diana was there, slapping off the loom. Burning with shame, Lyddie glanced over
as Diana, without a quiver of impatience, helped the girl retrieve the broken ends and tie a
weaver's knot. (Ch. 14)
Diana looks out for the girls in
bigger ways too. She is part of an organization lobbying for a ten-hour workday. Lyddie doesnt
like this, because girls can get in trouble for signing the groups petitions. The factory
considers them trouble makers. Diana is more interested in everyones safety. She takes up
collections when people get hurt or sick.
When Lyddie finally decides to sign
one of Dianas petitions, she learns that the saintly Diana has a secret. She has gotten
pregnant, and the man is married. He is Dianas friend the doctor.
"He€he's not free to marry. There's a wife ... in Concord. She wouldn't come to
live here in a factory town. Though her father is one of the owners." Diana's laugh was
short and harsh. (Ch. 19)
Diana has to quit her factory
job before she begins to show, because she doesnt want to bring dishonor to the movement. She
is such an important part of it that the factory would use her to discredit it. Diana is strong
and independent. She finds a job as a housekeeper right away, and plans to raise her baby by
herself.
Diana is a genuinely nice person, but having a baby out of wedlock
was considered very immoral. She also had an affair with a married man, which is definitely
inappropriate. This does not mean that Diana is a bad person, but she definitely exercised
flawed judgement.
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