ngely enough, she would wipe her eyes and suddenly realize that it was not herself that she had been thinking of at all, but the Gare's - Amelia, with her inviolable reserve and quiet graciousness, behind which she lived who knew about life; Ellen, prim to a point of agony; Martin, the stumbling dreamer, forever silent in his dream; the boy, Charlie; whom Caleb pampered and played against the others; Judith, vivid and terrible, who seemed the embryonic ecstasy of all life; and Caleb, who could not be characterized in the terms of human virtue or human vice - (35)
             After a very short time in the Gare household, Lind is able to see clearly how Caleb manipulates each individual. Unlike Caleb, Amelia's cruelty is less obvious and is not understood by Lind. Lind knows Amelia is troubled but can not figure out what is causing her pain. Lind attempts to get the children to open up to her but they are reluctant to discuss any of the household affairs with her. The children are not comfortable or used to thinking about, let alone speaking about, what went on in their home. Judith, at times, seems as though she may confide in Lind, but because of her parents overwhelming influences she never completely allows herself to do so.
             Amelia Gare allows Caleb to keep her prisoner by keeping the shame of her past alive. She becomes a slave to Caleb's blackmail and punishment for bearing an illegitimate child. During the 1920's this type of situation would have generated much gossip, disgrace, and humiliation from the community which would have ruined all of their lives. Amelia's main cause of subservience is to protect her illegitimate son, Mark Jordan. This need to protect her son causes her to mistreat her other children and therefore enhances Caleb's cruelty and hold o
             ...