Why do you think Baker is so hostile toward Ruth, who she acknowledges is “attractive without knowing it, strong-willed, intelligent, and knows her own mind”?
I think Baker is jealous of Ruth, but she also unconsciously recognizes their similarities too.
I think Baker is jealous. Haven’t we all known women that are so unkind to other women and determined to put them down. I have seen women have a viewpoint, that their success is dependent upon limiting, putting down and just plain being mean to other women.
Baker is jealous Ruth’s beauty, intelligence and natural leadership skills and she sets out to break Ruth’s will from the very first day.
I agree Mrs. Baker was jealuos of Ruth, and I also think she identified Ruth with the woman who broke up her marriage. SHe considered her to be a potential “Husband stealer.”
I think Baker was a troubled woman who believed she was doing important work to save these wine’s souls. However she was angry and aggressive and wouldn’t consider the damage she did.
Ruth was a brave, moral character. She stood up to Baker which was clearly not welcomed. Plus she tried to save other girls from the abusive treatment she had to observe. She was my favorite character and I hope that if I were in her situation I would do the same things.
She transferred her anger and hurt from her husband’s extramarital relationship to Ruth, rather than blame him completely. Also I think looks were and still are the manner in which women are judged by men and especially other women.
I assume the reply above ends with “to Ruth,” and I agree. Baker was a very troubled woman, back to when as a child she started the fire. From then on, she knew no love and those scars, literally and figuratively, apparently also destroyed her marriage. She’s a woman who perceives herself as unloveable and almost to prove it, makes herself that way. Ruth’s beauty gets conflated in Baker’s mind with her husband’s paramour, so she is immediately The Enemy. The fact Ruth is not easily conquered and destroyed just intensifies Baker’s fear and hatred of her.
I think that she is resentful at Ruth’s abilities and sense of self, and was very jealous and fearful of her.
As others have written, I think Baker was jealous of Ruth. I also think she felt intimidated by Ruth.
Baker had it out for Ruth day one as she was jealous of her beauty, intelligence, and she stood up to her, despite the punishments received. She also thought she was similar to the type of woman that her husband had an affair with, so wanted to teach her a lesson.