I was very unsatisfied with the ending of Quicksand. It seemed like Helga never accepted herself, and thus would not allow others to accept her. Finally after being tired of roaming for acceptance she settles and marries a man she does not genuinely love. Even having children does not bring Helga happiness. She had told her ex-finance near the end of the novel that it was something like a crime to bring black children into this world, which directly connected with Rachel.
I kept wondering what would have given Helga genuine happiness? She seemed to have feelings for Dr. Anderson, but I feel like she would have eventually found flaw in him as well. It seemed that she always wants something she cannot obtain. The fact that Anderson married Anne Helga's desire for him was amplified.
3 comments:
I think you make a good point in wondering what would make her happy. Personally, I believe nothing would make this girl happy. She seemed to have a sharp temper that sometimes arose from no where. She would be good in one place and then find flaws, then she would move and everything seemed fine until something else happened. In each instance she makes a comment about how this could be the place where she was meant to be and how it was the beginning of a new life...but it never really was. Even though this might be exaggerated I think it's reality that people are never truly happy in the here and now. We all find flaws in our own situation, and it isn't until later when we look back that we think "dang why wasn't I happy then?".
I too started to become very annoyed of Helga toward the end of the book. When Helga found what she initially believed to be true faith I thought that that would be a good happy ending to her life of struggles in a meaningful way. In the end she completely dismisses this faith in her life and once again hates the people around her. I found it dissatisfying that nothing ever made her happy for long periods of time.
I became annoyed with her indecisiveness too, it was so frustrating to find flaws in everyone she encountered and only stay in places for varying amounts of time until the place/the people in the place no longer made her happy.
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