Quote:
Originally Posted by orlok
I'm interested that you should say that, as some of the comments here suggest that Zeena was redeemed at the end. I saw it differently. My view is that she was revived by spite - Ethan was now having to live with the shell of a ruined Mattie, and be faced with the reality of what he had done every day for the rest of his life, and Zeena was happy to look after Mattie in order to perpetuate that torture. I never believed her illness, to me it was just a way of trapping Ethan, and once she had found a better method of keeping him imprisoned, she miraculously improved in health.
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I wouldn't say she was redeemed - more revived. But really interested in your view of Zeena.
I was thinking that Mattie was giving her what she needed - someone to nurse. The reason I looked at it that was is that the only time we saw a "revived" Zeena before was when she was nursing Ethan's sick parent. I got the impression she thrived on being the suffering caregiver and without that, the only way she could keep the higher ground was to paint herself as suffering (hence illness).
I absolutely agree with you about the illnesses of course. Totally manufactured in my reading. But I really like your perspective on her continuing to care for Mattie as a silent punishment of Ethan. Nice thought and one that didn't occur to me (although it really should have given her manipulative nature).