And she hates being managed - that is not the word I want. What is it, Maturin?''Manipulated.''Exactly. She is a dutiful girl - a great sense of duty: I think it rather stupid, but there it is - but still she finds the way her mother has been arranging and pushing and managing and angling in all this perfectly odious. You two must have had hogsheads of that grocer's claret forced down your throats. Perfectly odious: and she is obstinate - strong, if you like - under that bread-and-butter way of hers. It will take a great deal to move her; much more than the excitement of a ball.
The character in question is portrayed as someone deeply resistant to control but possesses a strong sense of duty. This internal conflict creates tension, as she feels manipulated by her mother’s efforts to arrange her life and social engagements. Despite her sense of responsibility, these manipulations make her feel uncomfortable and resentful, which highlights her strong-willed and stubborn nature.
The narrator reflects on her obstinacy, suggesting that it will require significant effort to sway her from her steadfastness. The atmosphere created for her is filled with forced enjoyment, such as consumption of claret, which she finds distasteful. This illustrates the broader theme of personal autonomy versus external expectation in her life, particularly in the context of social events.
