VLVL Prairie and Isaiah

[jbor]

> Isaiah, "a huge hand on her
> shoulder", says: "But I promised your dad--" (104). This is indeed "a
> paternalistic claim", as Michael suggests; and Isaiah's gesture indicates
> that he intends it to confine her.

I don't agree with this judgement at all. I think Isaiah's gesture is
affectionate and protective, and what's very clear in the exchange is that
Isaiah understands the implication of Prairie's question, and that he
acknowledges and respects Prairie's freedom and independence.

It seems odd that so much interpretative loading would be assumed here while
the narrator's statement that "DL had to look down at her feet like an
amateur ballet dancer" is rudely rejected as "ambiguous".

best