Geraldine's voice

Hearing Geraldine’s voice – Page 287

What do we learn about various characters and their relationships in this chapter?

Geraldine	·         She admits that she loved Blue, Jimmy’s friend from Vietnam. (p.306) This was while she was engaged to Rob. ·         She feels regretful and guilty for not intervening more with Blue. ·         She had post natal depression after Sophie was born. (p.291) ·         She is more emotional and empathetic then we first thought her to be, from Sophie or Fran. (p.306) ·         She didn’t feel good about relationship with her dad. She thought that her dad was easier on Fran and that she was his favourite. “Instead of getting a smack around the legs for being naughty…”(p.289) ·         Geraldine has been seeing a doctor and does not seem to be in a good state of mind. She is anxious and upset. (p.288) ·         She wants a happy and stable family and tries to accomplish this with help of Rob. Sophie’s behavior is something that she finds very difficult to cope with because she seems to need a very stable life.
Jimmy	·         He is really good at not showing his emotions and his war experiences were very extreme and difficult. ·         He was very dependent on Blue to forget the war memories and was hugely affected when Blue died. ·         Fran had different views about the war from Jimmy and according to Geraldine was not supportive of Jimmy when he really needed her. ·         We learn about a particular war experience “Binh Ba” where he saved Blue. (p.311)
Geraldine’s view of Fran and their relationship	·         Geraldine and Fran’s relationship is easily strained. They know how to push each other’s buttons. ·         Geraldine suggests that Fran didn’t have the commitment to pursue a real career as an artist.
Geraldine and  Sophie’s  relationship	·         Geraldine was totally perplexed about what was going on with Sophie and was unsure how to deal with her and their relationship. ·         “The whole two years after her arrival, were still a kind of miserable days…” (p291)                    ·         “My own daughter, only seventeen years old and I haven’t spoken to her in a month… my daughter, my own daughter Sophie is missing…” (p.291) ·         This gives us the impression that Geraldine is generally worried and is feeling guilty about Sophie.