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Did anyone else find it interesting that McDowell, a character who made it clear from the start of the novel that he held a low opinion of women, eventually learnt some of his greatest life lessons from several of the females he encountered later in the story. I felt that McDowell seemed to find his most meaningful connections with characters such as Maud, Hulga and Winona. He even risked his own personal safety to save the life of another woman. Do you think this subtle shift reflected growth in his character as a human being, or solely a response to overwhelming loneliness?

I did find it interesting. I don't know if possibly being alone and not having many people to talk to might have been the reason. He seemed more compassionate.

It was more of a change, I believe he became more compassionate and humane rather than a response to loneliness.

That's an interesting one. I never saw it from that angle. I'm glad he got to discover the humane side of him.

It's more of his change of attitude and view towards women. He has learned to be compassionate and selflessness.

I think that the loneliness helped him realize more, therefore, assisting in the growth of his character regarding his thoughts, actions, and feelings towards women

He talked about needing human contact several times, so yes, I believe his change was from loneliness and needing human contact, and not just the phone calls he made to his children.

He needed human relationships, and he always found women easier to approach than men. Women are also more attuned to loneliness.

Miriam Molina wrote: ↑17 Oct 2018, 19:38 He needed human relationships, and he always found women easier to approach than men. Women are also more attuned to loneliness.

I really agree with you. Your comment reminds me my friends who are so vulnerable of loneliness. Most of the time women have something to say than men.

Dusamae wrote: ↑11 Oct 2018, 17:43 He talked about needing human contact several times, so yes, I believe his change was from loneliness and needing human contact, and not just the phone calls he made to his children.

You're right, sometimes loneliness may result to uneasy lifestyle even if your love ones are there. I remember this kind of situation when my grandma pass away.

This book remembers me of many things.

I think it was loneliness. When he was on the run, he didn't have all his internet of connections and activities to fall back on to fill up the emptiness. Being alone made him realize that he needed other people.

I agree that it was definitely development through adversity. Typically, people don't challenge their worldviews if they don't have to learn lessons the hard way.

I think Hiram is a womanizer in the beginning because it fulfills his ego centered lifestyle. It does something for him mentally to hunt down a woman and make her his. I just found myself not trusting his character's intentions even in the second half of the book because, after all, he was on the run. I felt he was trying to fit in and not cause a stir because he knew that the law was coming for him. So, I didn't feel that he genuinely changed in his outlook toward women. And, by trade, he was a doctor, so for some reason, he decided to save a life and in the end, it cost him his. However, his job was his identity, so for a person to stop living that way would be pretty difficult. I was not a fan of his from start to finish, so I felt he didn't really change all that much.

Though Hiram McDowell's behaviour changed in the part two sections of the book still the degree of change in his character was not mentioned by the author so in my personal opinion Iam really not sure whether Hiram's atitude towards women have actually shifted or not.

I did not take this read in that way. Instead, I contemplated after I finished reading the book and could feel that this was more about a life journey, specifically of Hiram Mcdowell over here. The journey of life teaches us a lot and this story was effective in emoting about a few things in life e.g. self-realization, wisdom, etc.