Journal Numba 2

Since I last journaled, Jacob Todd has arrived in Chile bet that he can’t sell 300 bibles to the people there. He makes a special connection with the Sommer’s family, especially Rose Sommer’s. Jacob has a crush on Rose and would love to confess that to her but is intimidated by her single life and lack of interest in marriage. He gets over his crush on Rose and falls for a girl of privilege, Paulina. He never confesses his love to her either so he sits in the shadow again as she marries a Chilean man. Eliza, now grown into a young woman, has Jeremy and Rose worried with regards to a dowry for marriage. The community knows that she is an adopted, under privileged child who will not be courted by someone of wealth and status. Jeremy and Rose take it upon themselves to bulk up her dowry in order to make her more appealing to outsiders. She is a work in progress at this point.  Jacob Todd is discovered as being a false titled missionary in turn ruining his reputation and his savings. He was then picked up off the streets and offered a place to stay by Jeremy Sommer’s. As I continued reading the continuing theme of gender roles in society prevailed. This theme was personified by Paulina’s relationship with her husband. Paulina gains more and more independence both in business and in finance and her husband takes offense to it. She brought much profit to her husbands business through her good sense in the stock market therefore she suggested she receive a profit. This independence causes turmoil in their relationship. “Why? Don’t I give you everything that you want, and more?” (Husband) The male in the relationship desires the power and control over the actions and responsibilities of the woman. Paulina, in her case, is just doing it for means of protection. “Life is long and filled with unpleasant surprises. I do not ever want to be a penniless widow, especially not with children.” In this time period it is painfully obvious that men are subordinate to women.

Reading Daughter of Fortune as a girl of similar age to Eliza makes this all the more interesting. Because I am her age the situations of gender issues are more interesting. I can imagine myself as young Eliza and how different my life would be. Living in the 1800’s would definitely be a different lifestyle than one that I am used to.