Basically, her own damn fault.... (SPOILERS)

Yes, I know she was emotionally bound to her father and the conventions of the times didn't encourage defying your parents, but the guy did ask her to marry him once and she didn't, and then she not only went to Europe for 6 months but stayed there for a whole year...

I'm not sure why she imagined her father would ever change.

Very sad story and well done (and of course I've seen the original), but this is also the story of someone who WASTED THEIR OWN LIFE.