Do you think Elwood was right to leave the house to Ruthie’s sons? Was June right to be upset about it?
Especially in light of what Elwood ended up doing for June, it makes perfect sense what he did for Ruthie’s sons.
I understand why he did it, but he should have discussed this with June. The letter he wrote gave a beautiful explanation, but it would have been better if he had made that clear, especially when he decided to end his life.
I think putting June through the stress of not knowing what was going to happen to her was cruel of Elwood. Yes, what he did in the end was wonderful, but he could have made things so much easier for her.
At first I was upset that Elwood would leave June without a home. The disclosure that the Palm Springs home was hers made me indifferent to the Malibu home.
I agree that it was the right thing to do but an explanation before his death would have been kinder and much more sensible. Also, I didn’t love that she ended up with the Palm Springs house, given the web of lies that she had woven regarding Elwood’s absence from the Malibu home.
1 Like
I can understand why Ellwood chose to leave the house to Ruthie’s sons, given his history with her. However, I agree that he should have communicated this decision to June rather than keeping it to himself. That said, if he was battling his own demons, he may have been too consumed by his struggles to fully consider how it would affect her.
Yes, I do BUT he should have told June that was his plan, it was his house…but I would have been upset! And i thought his “beautiful” letter at the end was sort of self serving. I guess I really didn’t care for him 
The topic of inheritance is always interesting. First, no one is entitled to inherit anything from anyone. Every person has the right to bequeath his/her property as he/she sees fit. However, rights and responsibilities are not the same thing, and Elwood did have a responsibility to ensure that June would not be left homeless after his death. He knew how she felt about him and, as he ultimately admitted, he selfishly accepted her dedication and assistance. He knew he was limited in his capacity to show her affection and care, although he did love her. He had no legal obligation to provide for Ruthie’s sons, but felt a moral obligation to them, motivated by guilt about his reckless behavior. And that was admirable, given that providing them with financial security was all he could do for them. He could not bring their mother back to them.
June’s love for Elwood was deep and enduring, but she also felt that he was obligated to repay her for all she did for him, which made her feelings transactional. That lowered my respect for her. She should have been taking steps to ensure her own future, in case Elwood did not leave her the house, and if she felt that strongly about it, she should have discussed the matter with Elwood. The assumptions, feelings of entitlement, and lack of clear communication demonstrated how dysfunctional their relationship really was, and how June subjugated her own dreams, ambitions, and desires to be with a man who was never going to be able to give her what she really wanted.
It was all tragic, in my estimation.
1 Like
I agree with you, @Janie-Hickok-Siess, about June’s feelings regarding the inheritance. But it’s also true that she gave up everything to care for Elwood - and even pretended to be him by writing his scripts. As far as she knew, his death left her with absolutely nothing. It would have saved her a lot of angst had Elwood explained the situation to her at some point before taking his own life.
1 Like
Yes! He was trying to right a wrong and he was doing it the only way he knew how. It was fortunate that he owned two properties. I just wish he had shared his plan with June, but then we would have been missing an important protagonist in the story. I think when we do things for others it should never come with the expectation of receiving something as a result. June thought she deserved it for the sacrifice she made, but during those years she was receiving room and board, but also a salary so I’m not sure she truly deserved to expect more.
At first I thought that he had been very cruel to Jane to leave the house to Ruthie’s sons. Then I realized that if he’d have left the house to Jane, she would have stayed there in his memory and never would have worked to make a name for herself as a writer. He actually did her a favor!
I think that Junie knew she would be taken care of in some way. It would have been better if it was discussed while he was living, rather than in a letter. It turned out to be a better choice for June with the other arrangements.
Such a tangled web…the relationship between June and Elwood. Certainly an interesting one. Have to agree with the group. It seemed unfair and plans should have been addressed after Frank passed away or perhaps at the time that June and Frank moved in with Elwood…however, it was not addressed. The result was June living in limbo. I understand his overwhelming guilt regarding the accident and his desire to provide for the boys.