Book Discussion- Meet Felicity

I really like this book and I have to admit that Felicity is my favorite (don't tell the others!) [img]wink.gif[/img]
You came up with some good questions Felicity+Addyfan. Here are my thoughts:

1. Have you ever been in situation like Felicity's? Do you think what she did was morally right despite the fact that it conflicted with the laws of 1774? What other actions might of Felicty taken? Do you think Felicty is a good role model in this book?
I've never been in a situation like Felicity's but I think what she did was ok. She was trying to help Penny. I think that the way Jiggy treated Penny was morally wrong. I think Felicity is a good role model because she is kind and compassionate.

2. Do you think Felicity would have had as much empathy for Penny and try to help the situation if she were not a horse-lover?
I do think she would have wanted to help Penny even if she wasn't a horse-lover. I think she cares about animals in general and would be upset if she heard any animal was being mistreated.

4. Do you think Felicty might differ if she were a middle child? A youngest child? An only child? Do you think Felicity's being eldest child is relevant to the story? Do you think it effects her personality?
I didn't really even pay attention to the fact that she was the oldest so I didn't see it as that relevant to her personality.

5. Do you think Felicty has matured a bit in this book? Why or why not?
Yes, I think she has matured; she has learned lessons about patience, independence, and trust. I think her relationship with Ben shows her maturity too.

My thoughts on the book:

- I really loved the first chapter. I loved the description of the store with its smells and items from exotic places around the world. I even loved the pictures of the store!! It is easy to understand why Felicity likes to be there. It is a happening place - a place of people coming and going - a place where you can learn a lot of news. Also Felicity likes it there because her Father is there!! They have a wonderful relationship with pretending and giggling. He is understanding of her "wild" ways, her impatience, her high-spiritedness, her lack of conformity, her love of horses. In the last chapter it is so touching when he comes to her in the barn - and instead of punishing her he loves her and tells her that he is proud of her. (I just wish that he had brainstormed for a bit on how they could obtain Penny.)

- I really felt for Felicity because I believe all of us at some stage of life or another have felt trapped, resistant to conforming, and having to be what and where we "should be". I felt sorry for her in her time having to be a young lady - when she didn't like to be inside and sit still and sew. She resisted all the rules that went along with being a young lady. It didn't come naturally to her - the slow, small steps, the quiet voice, the clean hands and clothes, the ever patient, calmness that was to mark a proper woman.

- I liked that even though Felicity is portrayed as impatient and willful and unable to settle down to a task - that when it is important TO HER she shows that she has patience and persistance. She works SO hard and consistantly at taming Penny until she can ride her. She truely believes that Jiggy Nye meant what he said about whoever can ride her can have her so I don't feel that she was stealing the horse at all.

- However I don't quite know how to think about her helping Penny escape. I wonder if there couldn't have been another way to get Penny. I also (as a Mother) don't like that she disobeyed her parents - especially because it was dangerous around Jiggy Nye's place!! As a Mother of girls I hope that they will be safe and I know I wouldn't want my girls hanging around Jiggy Nye!!

- On the other hand, Felicity was passionate about Penny being treated properly and was courageous in doing what she felt she had to do ---- so just like in real life - issues are complex - not just black or white - "this is right, this is wrong" - and that helps us identify with Felicity because she is believable not perfect.

Wasn't this thread going to be sticky?

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ February 13, 2005 10:27 AM: Message edited by: Felicity+Addyfan ]</font>

The moderators feel there are enough stickies at the top. Each time someone posts, a thread is bumped up to the top. So if this thread really is popular, it will stay at the top anyway everytime someone posts. We'll change it only deemed necessary.

The mods.

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ February 12, 2005 06:29 PM: Message edited by: JuliaAM ]</font>

I was looking for this thread, but somehow I must have missed it the first time 'round.

At any rate, I love Felicity. I really relate to her love of animals (especially horses) and her desire for Penny to be unharmed.

I've retrained abused horses, and I find it a little hard to believe that an inexperienced 10-year-old retrained an abused horse, but I like the story anyway. Stories about people abusing animals of any kind break my heart, and I'm glad Penny had someone love her.

I'm not a parent, but if I was, it would bother me that Felicity directly disobeyed her parents and went somewhere dangerous. I think AG could have made a better way for this to work itself out- such as Felicity's dad buying Penny. In real life most people (even crummy abusive people) will sell the animal if offered enough cash- I've seen it happen. I think having Felicity go by herself to this dangerous place gives kids the wrong impression about what to do if they see an animal being abused. Many people who abuse animals later hurt people, so it's best for kids to learn not to handle such siutations themselves. Also, it gives the false impression that domesticated horses can survive being "free." Most of them can't. For both reasons, I really would have preferred a different resolution to the problem, so kids had a better model of what to do if they see an abused animal.

But I do love Felicity's spunk and spirit, and I feel for her- living in an era of propriety and quiet while being an exuberant girl!

Quote:

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2. Do you think Felicity would have had as much empathy for Penny and try to help the situation if she were not a horse-lover?

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I will take the less popular opinion and say that no, I DO NOT believe that Felicity would have been so drawn to help Penny had she not been a horse lover. If you're not already a horse-lover, most people do not see horses the same way they see a cat or a dog or a pet bird or even a fish. Too many people, especially animal control workers in my experience, have no idea how intelligent and human-like a horse can really be.

There's an example of that mindset that happened right here where I live, last summer. There was a pregnant mare who was being pretty much ignored by her owners. She was malnourished, underweight and sick. The next door neighbor called the SPCA, and they came out and looked things over and deemed she had a hay belly. Three problems with that: A vet had already confirmed the pregnancy; It was extremely clear from the picture in the paper that the horse was majorly underweight, and there was no hay or even edible grass to be found in the pasture. Did the SPCA do anything? No. The mare and her foal died when she went into labor. Were the owners charged with animal cruelty? No, they got away with it.

Horse lovers and horse rescuers are a special breed of people within the realm of animal lovers, IMO. For the most part we do love other animals and hate to see any animal mistreated. But horses are our main passion. If horses are not the animal lover's main love, then they won't be motivated to take the necessary time to rescue the horse in every way that's needed to insure the horse actually survives and thrives. Horses are some of the most intelligent, and easily scared, domesticated animals in the entire world.

I made an image station album about Felicity training Penny just like in the book. Only I didn't have a doll sized fence...
The Album is called Penny!.

LOL Thanx!