MovieChat Forums > The Feast of All Saints (2001) Discussion > Mother/Cecile...

Mother/Cecile...

posted 12 years ago by nicci212000
6 replies | jump to latest

In the movie, in the scene when Marie comes home after being attacked. It sounded like Cecile was screaming at her "You are Ruined, ruined!" Am I right?If so, Wow. I couldn't believe how selfish this Mother was. All she cared about was money, money!! I understand that money equals livelihood, but JESH get a grip...Also, I can't believe that she told Marcille to tell Marie that she wished to her that she was DEAD! That was so cold!! This scene was so moving.

I was happy to see Marcille standing up for Marie, and I was overwhelmed with Joy when Richard stood up for her as well... I understand Cecile trying to look out for Marcelle because he looked colored and was probably the under dog in comparision to Marie, but how cold blooded of her to turn her back on Marie. In the movie Cecile told Marie that she was jealous of her beauty, but it was very obvious that she was actually jealous of Marie's whiteness and not her beauty.

[–] sylicon_brain 12 years ago

Yes, that is what she was screaming.

Cecile had no mother's love for her children; she cared about them as means to claim a comfortable future. Back in those days, being raped was a dark spot on one's reputation and if word got out (as it did in Marie's case), it could ruin the person's life entirely.

Yes, it's harsh. But, that's how things were at the time.

Richard and Marcelle's reactions were uncommon for that time; Marie was lucky in that regard. Most odds are that if those had been other people, she would have found herself entirely alone, and either become a prostitute, join a nunnery, or commit suicide.

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[–] LilRed_RoRo 11 years ago

Back in those days, being raped was a dark spot on one's reputation and if word got out (as it did in Marie's case), it could ruin the person's life entirely.

I thought she was screaming "You are ruined" because Marie wasn't a virgin any more and wouldn't fetch as high a price at the quadroon balls?

[–] Born_Tomorrow 10 years ago

Nope, that couldn't have been it. Marie came into the house, soaked, with nothing but a coat and obviously in shock. Then Cecile yelled "ruined!". There was nothing about Marie's personality that would leave her to believe that Marie would go out, have consensual sex and come home naked. So if Cecile was smart enough to know that something sexual happened, then she should have been able to conclude, by Marie's state, that it wasn't consensual sex.

All typos and misspellings courtesy of a public educational system.

[–] unknown_soul278 7 years ago

Actually it is if the movie follows the book. It did not matter how she lost her virginity, she was still 'ruined'. In her case it was even worse because she was gang-raped. She went to Dolly Rose because she thought that was the one place she would not be thrown out of and Dolly Rose didn't turn her out. The one time she got dressed up and went downstairs the second she started getting nervous Dolly Rose sent her back to her room. Eventually she would probably have become a prostitute, but Dolly Rose would not force it.

[–] ezzy666 10 years ago

Back in those days, being raped was a dark spot on one's reputation and if word got out (as it did in Marie's case), it could ruin the person's life entirely.

unfortunately some people feel the same way today. I remember hearing stories about women who were raped not being allowed to be married in a church or to wear white, they would be married in some other room of the church. (it has been ages since I have set foot in a church so I have no idea what the other rooms are called) I told myself at a young age that being married or staying a virgin would ever be a goal for me. There are people who think that good girls don't get raped. I can't remain calm and rational in those conversations and they often turn into screaming rants. I'm nowhere near a good girl and haven't been raped but can't stand the thought of someone being blamed for it.

Some women think that the only gift they can give a husband is their virginity. It just doesn't make sense to me that people feel that way today.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

[–] unknown_soul278 9 years ago

All of that is terrible but the white is for virgins crap isn't even how white wedding dresses started out. Clothing wasn't always mass produced in factories and before it was it was expensive. An elaborate white dress was extremely impractical and before the days of dry cleaning most of them could only be worn once. It was impolite to discuss money, but the white wedding dress was one of the socially acceptable ways to show prosperity. A family had to be well off to be able to afford such a costly dress that would only be worn for one day. It had nothing to do with virginity.