Nell and Evie are reluctant to ask Hazel any questions about their past. Why do you suppose this is? In their place, would you have pushed Hazel for answers or avoided the subject?
Hazel always seemed distant to them and she clearly did not like their asking questions about the past - so they stopped.
So sad that had they told her about what they found in the Jayne Eyre book, she could have helped Evie reunite with Becca much sooner.
She thought she was protecting them - they sought to protect their relationship with her. The power of secrets to help - and to harm.
To both of them and especially to Nell Hazel seemed very cold. They both were reluctant to question her about the past.
Hazel gave the impression that the past was upsetting to her. If I were Nell and Evie, I would have snuck around like they did, trying to figure out the past for myself. I think if you grow up in a secretive environment, you are more reserved because of it. We did see Nell become less reserved as the story of her past came together. Knowing about the past freed her to live her life in the present more freely.
They were reluctant because she was distant and didn’t want to talk about the past. I probably would have investigated on my own like they did. I would not want to upset her.
I agree that they understood that Hazel was reluctant to discuss the past. I also think that as children they were scared. They only had one adult, Hazel, and she would become so upset and even deny what they did know.
I believe I would have started to snoop. Children are curious and when something appears hidden or forbidden they become even more curious.
Hazel had put up a wall. I don’t think young children have any qualms about asking questions, but as they grow up they instinctively know what is off limits. The questions linger though and some will want to find answers and others will just let it be and always wonder.
I think if you grow up in a home where questions about the past are not welcome, you learn not to ask out of love and respect. I think some families place a higher value on privacy. My home was like this. I remember loving to get little glimpses into the past by things relatives said, but knowing (in my family) it was considered disrespectful to ask my parents or grandparents about their past. So, I would not have pushed Hazel for answers although I was glad when so much did end up becoming known.
They were reluctant because there was no communication between Hazel and her daughters. She was tight lipped and very private. I feel as it she was ashamed of her prior life and the less said about it the better. The girls were good at communicating with each other but did not push to open the lines with their mother. Since I had great mother, who worked at being open and honest with her girls, I would have pushed rather the avoided the subject. However, knowing their situation, I may hesitated to do so.
Hazel set it up so that Nell and Evie couldn’t ask questions–and I wondered about her coldness as a mother until her reasons were revealed toward the end. Hazel did her absolute best to protect the two girls and herself. As I read the book, I thought that the girls simply accepted this aspect of their lives, until Nell decides as an adult to start digging into their past.
Both Nell and Evie loved their mother and didn’t want her to be stressed about remembering the past. No, I would not have pushed Hazel for answers. I would have done what Nell did to learn more about her mother’s past. Nell was willing to learn about the past and be gentle with her findings.