Would Laura have had the strength to leave her marriage if she hadn’t met Richard? Why, or why not?
Created: 05/03/13
Replies: 23
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Join Date: 07/16/11
Posts: 22
It's quite possible considering the depth of her dissatisfaction, that any major event (including an affair) could have been the catalyst for change...Her emotional needs were not being met and she was drifting through life.
Join Date: 04/21/11
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Join Date: 01/29/13
Posts: 45
I have to agree with everyone here. Richard was convenient. He was in the right place at the right time and willing to play. Laura probably wouldn't have done anything if he was there. He definitely was the catalyst.
Join Date: 11/12/11
Posts: 5
As a psychologist, I must say I am constantly amazed at the number of clients who come for therapy that are very unhappy in their relationships, can talk for hours about unmet needs and yet not take action to move on. Their theory is, no matter who unfulfilling, that the current state is better than the unknown!
Join Date: 05/06/13
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Join Date: 05/24/11
Posts: 185
I don't think that without some other type of action or catalyst, Laura would not have acted. It could have been something other than the affair--like something happening to her son and her husband not being sympathetic about it, or a financial crisis, should he have remained out of work for a longer period of time.
Sometimes you just need a v-8 bonk on the head to make you realize that you are unhappy and need to take action.
Join Date: 05/19/11
Posts: 12
I don't think that she would have left if she hadn't met Richard. Before she met Richard she wasn't happy in her marriage, but meeting Richard helped her to see that may be she could have a better life. I believe that the affair with Richard breathed new life into her. It was like she was sleepwalking through life before Richard. He awoke something inside her and gave her the courage to leave her husband.
Join Date: 06/01/11
Posts: 73
Join Date: 03/30/13
Posts: 1
I am not sure she would have left her marriage if she hadn't meet Richard. Laura was the type of person who
went along with flow not rocking the boat. When Laura lost Eric she lost herself too and never really cared about anything just doing what others wanted not she wanted. Laura let herself be a slave and sorta of punching bag for Dan and his attitude and lack of compassion. When he lost his job it just didn't happen to him it was a life altering change for the entire family not just him. Dan is a very selfish man.
Join Date: 12/19/12
Posts: 37
I do not think Laura would have left her marriage if she hadn't met Richard. Even having the strong, supportive relationship of a Lucy, an independent single woman in her life, didn't seem to give her the strength to leave on its own.
Join Date: 05/19/11
Posts: 12
Bookwarm58 states that "Laura was the type of person who went along with the flow". That is a good description of her character. I have known a few people in my life who were miserable in their marriages, but didn't have the courage to leave until someone new came along. It is easier to just go along with the flow if there isn't a new opportunity out their. It would be scary to be on your own after being married for many years. Even Richard couldn't understand how she could leave him if their wasn't another man involved.
Join Date: 03/22/12
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Join Date: 07/28/11
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Join Date: 09/14/12
Posts: 111
I think since she was diagnosed with clinical depression and was in therapy she would have had the help to see the need to leave Dan. (I hope I am remembering the right order in the book) But even still when her daughter went off to college that would have given her the impetus to leave her marriage. There is no way she could have any reason to stay with him without the kids. So my answer is yes, I think Laura would have eventually left Dan even without knowing Richard.
Join Date: 07/18/11
Posts: 43
I believe that Richard was the catalyst for Laura to leave the marriage. I've noticed that in a lot of static situations that aren't ideal, something needs to come along to give a person the push to make a change, and this applies to things other than relationships such as dead-end jobs, etc.
Join Date: 05/11/11
Posts: 80
I really don't think she would have been able to leave the marriage or at least not right away. Meeting Richard made her reassess her life and her marriage. It was obvious that her husband had checked out of things regarding their life together. Sometimes we need something totally out of the ordinary to happen in order to make a change in our lives.
Join Date: 06/13/11
Posts: 70
Join Date: 04/12/12
Posts: 294
I think Laura would have left Dan just not as soon as she did. Talking with Richard gave her concrete actions that she could follow to end her marriage. I think she would have done this on her own, with Lucy possibly, or sought help because of her emotional breakdowns at work if it had not been Richard.
Join Date: 09/05/11
Posts: 42
Even though Richard disappointed Laura, he was the impetus for the decision to leave her unhappy marriage that had been smoldering for so long. I don't know if she would have made her move if they had not had their encounter.
Join Date: 12/04/11
Posts: 63
I don't think Laura would have left. I think she needed someone like Richard to show her that she needed to move on with her life. I think if she hadn't met Richard and had the affair with him she would have continued to try to live in her unhappy marriage.
Join Date: 06/19/12
Posts: 8
I think it took strength for Laura to go to the conference, that was her first step. She needed a push and the conference started the ball rolling. Richard was another boost. You don't miss what you don't know .... In the affair with Richard it became crystal clear life could be lots better. And then she realized "wow" I am okay and can continue to be okay even with out Richard!
Join Date: 09/26/12
Posts: 181
Join Date: 04/24/13
Posts: 14
While Laura had a fair amount of self confidence as a mother and in her work, in her dealings with men, she was much more insecure and indecisive. She had compromised by marrying Dan in the first place, and had gone along with her unhappy marriage for so long, that I am not sure she would have had the confidence to leave him without some kind of special support or catalyst. If she had decided to get therapy, for example, or some other event which boosted her confidence had happened, then she might have left her marriage without her affair. But her encounter with Richard enabled her to see herself in a different way, and helped give her the courage to leave her marriage.
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