DOLORES- Matilda’s mother

1. DOLORES- Matilda’s mother ‘Dolores’ is a name that derives from a Spanish word ‘dolor’ meaning ‘sorrow’. She is a woman of many sorrows. A strong woman who Matilda believes may have been ‘too strong’ and drove her father away. She is damaged by the migration of her husband which she sees as a desertion. It is easy to see why Matilda compares her with Miss Havisham from Great Expectations. Like Havisham Dolores lets her own unhappiness cause her to make the lives of others unhappy too. She sees everything from a moral point of view ‘he took his mother’s pork pie? – ‘And what did Pop Eye have to say about this?’ Matilda clearly describes her Mother to us: My father used to say that she had the blood of righteousness running in her veins.’ ‘persuasiveness for my Mum was not an intellectual exercise. Quality of argument was neither here nor there. It was all about the intensity of beliefs.” ‘My mum didn’t smile enough. When she did it was nearly always in victory.’ ‘ she appeared to be angry much of the time’.

2. Questions • Why does Dolores steal and hide the copy of Great Expectations? • How did that make you feel when she did that? • Why does she dislike Mr Watts and white men in general? • Do you think Dolores eventually sees the good in Mr Watts? Explain. • What is the most important thing in her life? • How does she show this?

3. Dolores and Conflict. There is a belief that conflict is at the root of all good stories. Dolores is conflict in Mister Pip. She in conflict on 3 levels. • Dolores vs Matilda’s father ‘She did not want to see my father turn into a white man’ • Dolores vs Mr Watts What made her blood run cold was this white boy Pip and his place in my life. For this she held Mr Watts personally responsible.’ • Dolores vs Matilda. She gave me a look of pure hate… “He isn’t a blood realative!” she yelled” For each of these relationships, describe the conflict that exits between them and why.

4. Do you ever experience conflict with